Chasing Time
by heaven'sgirl
Summary: December, AC 199. When seemingly isolated cases of deaths among ESUN officials and Preventers become connected to an ESUN defense project, Heero and his comrades find themselves racing against time to uncover its secrets before one of their own becomes the next target.
1. Chapter I: Prologue

**Chasing Time  
><strong>by heaven'sgirl

SYNOPSIS: December, AC 199. When seemingly isolated cases of deaths among ESUN officials and Preventers become connected to an ESUN defense project, Heero and his comrades find themselves racing against time to uncover its secrets before one of their own becomes the next target. [1xR, some 2xH and ZxN]

Standard disclaimer applies. Any names used in this story (that are not in the canon GW timeline) are fictional; they were randomly chosen for the purpose of this fanfiction.

Rated T for language and mild violence / death scenes.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter I: Prologue<strong>

[ DECEMBER 3, AC 199 ]

Sally Po zipped up her Preventer's jacket before stepping out of a silver sedan. The frosty air signaled the beginnings of winter, and Sally wasn't quite fond of cold weather. An annoyed grunt from her left made her smile as she quickly put on a pair of warm gloves.

"I don't like winter much, either," said Sally, closing the driver's side door. She made her way to the trunk as her companion put on his own gloves.

"I prefer warm temperatures," stated Wufei.

Sally flashed him another smile as she handed him a briefcase. She and Wufei have been Preventer partners for almost three years and in those years, the two have formed a friendship and comradeship based on trust and respect. And throughout those years, Wufei has warmed up to her and many of his fellow Preventers – he didn't get annoyed much when his co-workers invited him to join in their conversations, he didn't scare the new recruits as much, and he replied more to Sally when the older woman was in the mood for a casual chat with him.

They proceeded to walk towards the gate of their destination and were greeted by one of the Preventers' new recruits, Edgar Ramirez. Wufei and Sally showed him their badges.

"What's the report?" Wufei asked, pocketing his badge.

Edgar saluted his superiors then immediately read his notes from a tablet, a gloomy look on his face: "The victim is Arthur Brown, Chief Executive of ESUN's Department of Justice. COD is acute myocardial infarction."

"A heart attack?" Sally exclaimed, her tone laced with shock. Wufei gave her a questioning look while Edgar was taken aback by Sally's surprised reaction.

Edgar nodded. "Yes, ma'am." Still confused from Sally's surprise, Edgar tilted his head. Sally noticed his inquiring look and gave him a reassuring smile.

"I knew Mr. Brown," said Sally as Edgar led her and Wufei to the building. "He's the pretty active and healthy type: he never missed his morning runs, stuck to a strict diet from his nutritionist, never smoked, and preferred water over any other drink. No family history of heart attacks as well."

Edgar led them to the elevator and pressed the button to the fifth floor. Sally continued with her explanation. "I guess I was surprised that he would suffer from a heart attack."

Her companions nodded. Sally took a deep breath and exhaled loudly as she entered Mr. Brown's office where he was found dead on his chair. His desk was clean except for a tray of untouched breakfast and a glass of water was knocked down next to it. A crime scene investigator was already taking pictures for records, while another was taking notes and questioning the secretary who found her boss's lifeless body. Sally removed her winter gloves and replaced them with latex ones. Wufei did the same.

Wufei set down his briefcase, took out a tablet, and approached the coroner who was examining the body. "How long has he been dead?"

"About twelve hours, sir," said the coroner. Wufei scribbled some notes.

Wufei almost dropped his notes and glared at the coroner. "Twelve hours?" he asked, incredulous. "Nobody bothered to check in on him during those hours?"

The coroner motioned to the secretary. "The lady said Mr. Brown didn't want to be interrupted the whole day. She only came in when his wife called."

Meanwhile, Sally approached the secretary who was still being questioned by the investigator. "You're Mr. Brown's secretary, correct?" asked Sally.

"Yes," replied the young woman. Her hands were shaking.

"Are you aware of any possible allergies that Mr. Brown might have?" Sally inquired, earning an annoyed glance from the investigator.

"What does that have to do with anything?" the investigator asked irately, whose name was Audrey Mills.

"I am familiar with Mr. Brown's lifestyle," Sally began patiently. "His health records do not indicate any history or risk of heart problems."

"I'm well aware of that," said Audrey. "But that doesn't mean he's not susceptible to a heart attack."

"Quite right," said Sally. "Still, it's unlikely…" she trailed off.

Wufei walked to her side, his tablet full of notes. "We'll just have to wait a few days to see results from the coroner's office and determine the source of Mr. Brown's heart failure. Until then, we'll have to debrief with Commander Une before she addresses the public."

Sally nodded in agreement, a nagging feeling in her chest. Wufei turned his gaze towards the secretary. "Mr. Brown has been dead for twelve hours. Can you explain to me why in the hell nobody had the common sense to check up on him."

She walked to the coroner and handed him her business card. "I want you to contact me directly regarding Mr. Brown's autopsy results." The coroner gave a short nod.

On their way back to the car, Wufei asked Sally about her unusual behavior.

"I just have a bad feeling about this," she said. "Just a gut feeling though, but something tells me that there's more to it than just a heart attack."

Wufei knew she wanted to say something more. "And?"

"And I have the worse feeling that something bad is about to happen."

Both Sally and Wufei knew that Sally's gut intuitions were often right. Even though the official's death didn't seem to be out of the ordinary, both Preventer agents knew that Sally's hunch couldn't be ignored.

* * *

><p>Relena Darlian was restless.<p>

Out of excitement or anxiousness, she couldn't tell. The young woman was on a trip to the L2 Colony to visit the newest housing development built under the ESUN's Affordable Housing Project, a project launched by the ESUN and spearheaded by Relena for the thousands of individuals and families who lost their homes from the Eve Wars.

Relena folded her hands on her lap and smiled to herself. After the conflict started by Mariemaia and the Barton foundation three years ago, Relena had dutifully and faithfully fulfilled her responsibilities as Vice Foreign Minister until her three-year term ended in the summer of AC 198. Believing that peace was finally achieved and the ESUN has established a strong leadership, Relena decided against running for a second term.

However, the ESUN (and much of the Earth Sphere population) asked her to stay, albeit in a less demanding position relative to her former VFM post. They hoped that as someone who epitomized peace, Relena's presence in the ESUN would help the organization with its peacekeeping efforts. So, Relena took the offer as Head of ESUN's Affordable Housing Project (AHP) at the end of the year AC 198 and has since busied herself with that venture.

"Miss Relena?"

Relena turned to the source of the voice and smiled at the beaming face of Quatre Raberba Winner. "Hello, Quatre. Are we almost at L2?"

"We'll be there in thirty minutes," replied Quatre, taking the empty seat across Relena. Quatre studied Relena's face and noticed the small bags under her eyes. He also noticed her slouched shoulders. "Did you get any rest at all?"

Relena shook her head no. "I'll be okay, Quatre. I think I'm just too excited to fall asleep. By the way, thank you again for offering to take me to L2. I really appreciate it."

"It's no problem, Miss Relena," said Quatre. "Besides, we work together on this project."

Relena's smile widened. Quatre was her loyal partner and confidant in this AH Project. The former Gundam pilot has offered his services to her as soon as she took her AHP position. His family's business involved providing affordable supplies to the many construction projects under the ESUN and when he found out about Relena's latest project, the Winner heir willingly supplied the housing developments throughout the Earth and the colonies.

"Duo contacted me last night and told me he'll be in the security detail at the housing complex today," said Quatre, changing the subject. "I think Hilde will be there as well."

"Those two are inseparable," added Relena. "I'm not surprised they're partners at the Preventers Office in L2."

A black limousine was already waiting at the hangar when the shuttle arrived. Relena, wearing a modest and simple blue dress and matching blazer, took Quatre's offered hand as she descended the stairs. The ride to the L2's Affordable Housing Complex was another half hour.

When their party arrived at the complex, the awe was evident in Relena's expression. Her ocean-blue eyes were wide in admiration and a quiet "oh!" escaped her lips. The complex consisted of 3 adjacent, two-story buildings that formed a U-shaped complex surrounding a courtyard where residents have built a small patch of garden filled with vegetables and fruit trees. At the other end was a playground for the young children and a large picnic area was next to it.

"It's beautiful," Relena said breathlessly.

"It is, isn't it?" a new voice stated from behind. Relena and Quatre turned around just in time to see Duo Maxwell, clad in his Preventers uniform, wave at the pair. His violet eyes twinkled in happiness and a cheerful grin was on his face.

"Duo! It's been a while," Quatre exclaimed, giving his friend a hug. Duo patted Quatre's back as Relena looked on smiling.

"Quatre, buddy! So good to see you," said Duo. He faced Relena and gave her a wink. "Hi, princess! Welcome to the completed L2 housing!"

Relena returned his grin with one of her pretty smiles. "The place looks wonderful. Have you and Hilde moved in already?"

"We're almost done moving in," replied Duo. "That's why Hilde's not here, actually. She's in our apartment tidying things up."

Duo, who grew up a war orphan, didn't have a permanent residence during the wars. When Relena's housing project in L2 was in the process of being completed, the former VFM personally contacted Duo and offered him and Hilde one of the first spots to receive a housing contract. Relena was aware that Duo owned a junkyard with Hilde, and despite being a Gundam pilot, he didn't have a stable job to afford a nice place for the two of them. So, Relena had asked Commander Une to invite Duo and Hilde to join the Preventers Center in L2, at the same time that Relena gave the couple the housing offer.

The head of their security detail approached the trio and gave a curt nod to Duo. "Miss Darlian, we're ready in fifteen minutes."

"Thank you, Agent Greene," said Relena. She walked alongside the Preventer, with Duo and Quatre following behind. Today, Relena was going to have a small speech for the newly moved-in residents before she would personally visit each tenant. Her smile widened; she was looking forward to meeting each and every one of them!

Duo and Quatre noticed her cheerful demeanor. "Even though she's not vice foreign minister anymore, she's still as busy," said Duo, his face still holding his cheerful grin.

"That's Miss Relena. I think she becomes quite restless if she's not doing anything that helps the people," said Quatre.

Duo nodded, but his expression suddenly turned grim and serious. Quatre noticed the change. "What's the matter?" Quatre asked, worried.

"Wufei contacted me this morning about a death of an important ESUN official," Duo replied in a hushed tone. "Arthur Brown. The dude worked at the Department of Justice. Heart attack."

Quatre gasped. "Mr. Brown?" He glanced at Relena walking in front of them, thankful that she didn't hear. Arthur Brown was a friend of Relena's who helped her pass an important decree during her term as Vice Foreign Minister: the Universal Disarmament Edict. The ruling banned the production of every type of weapons of mass destruction and ordered the elimination of existing weapons. It was a successful proposal.

"Yeah," confirmed Duo. "Miss Relena doesn't know… yet. I know she's friends with Mr. Brown's wife. She'll find out eventually."

"She'll be devastated," said Quatre.

"Oh yeah, so we can't let her know yet while she's doing the tour. Wufei and Sally asked me to let you know so when she finds out, she'll have someone to support her."

"I understand," Quatre stated, nodding solemnly. Poor Relena. The girl was already exhausted from her last tours of the affordable housing projects on Earth and the L1 and L4 colonies. Quatre knows that once she finds out about the tragic news, Relena would immediately take the first shuttle to Earth to visit the family of her deceased friend.

The voice of Relena interrupted their hushed conversation. "Are you two alright?"

"Of course, princess!" Duo reverted back to his usual cheery self. Quatre gave her a reassuring smile.

"Time to go," Agent Greene said, ushering Relena to the podium. The former VFM flashed everybody a genuine smile then commenced her welcoming speech.

* * *

><p>"We believe that expanding our biological and chemical defense research program would benefit the ESUN's mission to maintain the peace by developing more advanced defensive measures against any type of agents that might be produced and weaponized by terrorists and extremists," stated Dennis Webb, a representative of the ESUN Department of Security and Defense.<p>

"Of course, the program will continue to be under strict supervision. The research program would adhere to ESUN rules in order to follow the regulations of the Disarmament Edict.

"Additionally," continued the representative, "one of the program's first goals is to find a vaccine against all types of biological agents classified as weapons of mass destruction."

"Yes, we want to be ready for any type of biological attacks in the Earth Sphere," commented another delegate. "We wouldn't want another pneumonic plague like the one that occurred in AC 197." He slammed his fist on the table. "What an utter disaster!"

"Ladies and gentlemen," started Grace Pruitt, ESUN Vice President, her voice calm yet authoritative, "as Vice President of the ESUN and representative of the President's cabinet for this conference, I do not believe that it is necessary to expand your department's research program."

"But -"

"Mr. Webb, let Mrs. Pruitt talk," Preventers' Commander Une stated in a commanding tone. Dennis shrunk back in his seat, embarrassed at his rude interruption.

Pruitt gave a smile of thanks to Une then continued with her speech, "While the concept of researching for defensive purposes is and has been beneficial to the earth sphere, the cabinet has decided not to give you its support for an expansion. It would go against the edict that Ms. Darlian has worked for during her tenure as Vice Foreign Minister."

Une let her gaze fall on Dennis Webb and saw his hands balled into fists. He frowned but let the matter drop. He closed the binder that held the proposal before closing his eyes in defeat. Pruitt cleared her throat and waved at another representative.

"Ms. Lee, can you give us an update on Ms. Darlian's Affordable Housing Project? The President is keen on the progress of that program," said Pruitt, a genuine smile forming on her lips.

The delegate called Ms. Lee stood up with a folder in hand. "Madam Pruitt, the housing complex in L2 has been completed and Ms. Darlian and Mr. Winner are there to visit as we speak…"

While the rest of the delegates in the conference were focused on Ms. Lee's information, Une noticed that Dennis Webb's focus were entirely on the unsuspecting Pruitt, his eyes full of anger and resentment.

* * *

><p>The completion of the terraformation in Mars required the construction of a Preventers center on the planet. The center was located on its capital, Odyssey, where other political buildings were already in built. Due to the planet's status as the newest member of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation and its completion in the summer of AC 199, the position of deputy of Mars's Preventers Center was still vacant, an issue temporarily resolved with the presence of Zechs Marquise, a Preventer officer stationed in Mars.<p>

The aforementioned man was ready to make a move during his chess match with Lucrezia Noin when another Preventer radioed in.

"This is Preventer Wind," said Zechs. He moved one of his bishops and took out one of Noin's knights.

"Preventer Wind, Preventer Fire, there's an urgent situation at the hangar." The trembling and terrified voice at the other end of the line made Zechs and Noin look up.

"What's the situation?" asked Noin.

"Ma'am, the Vice Foreign Minister was found dead in her private shuttle."

* * *

><p>AN: This story is set three years after the events of Endless Waltz (hence, AC 199). I will be incorporating canon information from the TV series, Endless Waltz, and a few from the manga such as Blind Target. I have not read nor am I familiar with the events in GW: Frozen Teardrop, so I won't be incorporating any of its storyline.

Sorry for so much background info stuff in this chapter. I promise there will be more action and interaction in the following chapters :)

Reviews and constructive criticism are welcome.

Yours truly, HG


	2. Chapter II: Onslaught

**Chasing Time  
><strong>by heaven'sgirl

Standard disclaimer applies. Any names used in this story (that are not in the canon GW timeline) are fictional; they were randomly chosen for the purpose of this fanfiction.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter II: Onslaught<strong>

[ DECEMBER 4, AC 199 ]

The moment she knew something was wrong was the sudden shortness of her breath, her sweaty forehead and palms (despite the winter season), and the unexpected urge to vomit just prior to her meeting with the ESUN President and the rest of his cabinet.

Vice President Grace Pruitt grasped the side of her armchair and blinked rapidly as she tried to refocus her vision. The President was shaking hands with his advisors who each took their respective seats on the table. The VP took out a handkerchief and dabbed on her glistening forehead, forcing a smile at her co-workers despite her achiness and discomfort.

"Madam Pruitt, are you feeling alright?" Ms. Lee asked as she took the seat on Grace's right. "You look pale."

"I'm alright," Grace replied, seemingly out of breath. All of a sudden, Grace stood up from her seat and clutched her chest, her breath coming in short gasps. Her eyes widened as she tried to hold onto the table while those around her were either shouting in surprise or gasping in shock.

One of the secretaries was the first one to compose himself and exclaimed, "Somebody call an ambulance _now_!"

Ms. Lee and another official rushed to Grace Pruitt's side and gently placed her on the floor, looking helplessly at the woman as she continued to clutch her chest, her whole body trembling.

In a few minutes, a small group of paramedics and the on-site Preventer medic surrounded Grace, who lied still on her left side, her hand on her chest. One of the paramedics tried to resuscitate her, but after a while, shook her head and looked at the representatives that crowded around the scene.

"She didn't make it."

* * *

><p>Preventer Greene found his charge sitting by herself at one of the airport tables, eyes closed and her forehead perched on her clasped hands as if in prayer.<p>

"Miss Darlian?"

Relena slowly opened her eyes and lifted her head to address the Preventer. "Hello, Agent Greene. Is the car ready?"

"Yes ma'am. We're good to go."

Relena nodded as she stood up, buttoned her coat, and grabbed her purse before following the Preventer to the car. It was only a day ago when she had visited the newest affordable housing in L2, yet for Relena, it felt like many weeks had already passed since her latest trip to the colony. Despite the exhausting schedule that drained her physically and mentally, seeing the smiling faces of each person she met was enough to give her energy, helping her to momentarily forget how tired she really was.

However, her fatigue came back to her full force when Duo relayed her the news that her ESUN colleague and good friend Arthur Brown had passed away at the age of 30, leaving behind his beautiful wife and 3-year old daughter. The shock at her friend's passing and the sadness she felt for his family only increased her exhaustion. The day after her visit to the L2 Housing and receiving the news, Relena requested to be on the first flight back to Earth in order to visit the grieving family.

Relena rubbed her eyes and reached for a bottled water in her bag. Taking two big gulps of water, Relena rolled down her window, adjusting her knitted scarf as she felt the cold wind enter the car. Realizing that the road they were taking where not familiar to her, she cleared her throat to get Greene's attention.

"Where are we going?"

Greene took a right turn and entered a gas station. The agent looked at Relena through the rearview mirror and smiled apologetically. "I seem to have forgotten to fill up the car with gas. This should only take a moment, Miss Darlian."

"Take your time, agent," replied Relena as Greene turned off the engine and stepped out of the vehicle. She proceeded to remove her belt, stretched, and looked out the window again, noticing that they were the only car in the lot.

A grunt of pain from a male voice made Relena jump on her seat. She turned around only to see Preventer Greene get tackled by a man. Relena screamed.

Agent Greene grabbed the man's wrist and twisted it, emitting a curse from his opponent. "Lock the doors, now!" yelled Greene who was elbowed on the stomach by his assailant, knocking the agent backwards.

Relena did as she was told. She reached from the back seat and pressed the button to lock the car. She didn't notice the man coming from behind the car until she felt herself being forcefully dragged from her opened window. She grabbed onto the seat, digging her nails on the fabric as the second attacker pulled her out of the car. In the struggle, Relena knocked her head on the window and almost went unconscious if it weren't for her will to survive and escape.

Relena felt the crushing hold of her captor who had an arm around her stomach. Suddenly, Relena felt his arm slacken and found herself dropping on the pavement next to the unconscious man. A pair of hands grabbed Relena's arms and quickly put her on a standing position.

The ground beneath her seemed to spin. Clutching her aching abdomen, Relena backed away from the figure next to her until she felt her body make contact with her car.

"Relena!"

Relena shook her head and mentally berated herself when the face of a young man with brown hair and piercing blue eyes flashed in her memory the instant her name was called by the stranger. It couldn't be him, she thought. He left without a word the moment he had regained his strength after the conflict against the Barton Foundation three years ago.

"Run!" a voice yelled from behind. Was that Agent Greene? She couldn't tell from the sudden grogginess she was feeling. Relena clutched her head with both her hands. The headache was becoming too much for her to bear.

"Relena!" the familiar voice cried out to her again. Relena froze, her head still pounding. That voice… there was no mistaking it. Relena slowly lifted her head and found herself staring directly at Heero Yuy.

Unconsciously, Relena balled her right hand into a fist and placed it over her chest. "Heero," she whispered, incredulous and relieved at the same time.

"Get in the car, Relena," ordered Heero. He took the gun from Relena's captor. "I need to get you to a safe location."

Relena nodded mutely and opened the passenger side door. "Wait, Heero! Where is Agent Greene?" asked Relena. She mentally kicked herself for almost forgetting her bodyguard.

"Where is he?" she exclaimed, looking around for her bodyguard. Heero grabbed Relena's wrist and led her in the car before getting in the vehicle himself.

"He'll live," said Heero. Relena looked at him in disbelief.

"We have to look for him!" Relena cried out. Heero started the engine despite her protests. Relena was about to get out of the car when Heero grabbed her arm.

"Stay in the car," Heero said firmly. "We can't stay here." Heero used the car's mobile system and dialed the Preventers.

While Heero was on the phone, Relena whipped her head around and saw the body of her would-be captor who was still out cold on the street. "Is he dead?" she asked. Heero's reply was a quick no.

"What happened to the other guy? The one that attacked Greene?"

"He ran away before I could stop him," Heero answered, a hint of bitterness and anger in his tone. He gripped the stirring wheel tighter and look straight ahead, never leaving his eyes on the road. "We need to get you to a secure location as soon as possible."

There were too many questions plaguing Relena's mind. "Heero, how is it possible that you happen to be in the right place at the right time? You showing up… that cannot be just coincidence."

"I received an anonymous tip," was his terse reply.

"What?"

"Anonymous tip," repeated Heero. "I don't take those very lightly."

* * *

><p>Besides Sally, the shock from the news of Arthur Brown's sudden death also permeated in the ESUN and even among Preventer agents. His death already headlined the news. The results of Brown's autopsy wouldn't be acquired for another day, so the media's constant bombardment set the whole Preventers Headquarters on edge.<p>

Sally cradled a hot mug of cocoa and let herself relax on her chair. Even though it was only yesterday that they started investigating Arthur Brown's death, Sally already felt worn out and it was only a half an hour past noon. She and Wufei were scheduled to rendezvous with AHP Chief Relena Darlian and Preventer Agent Greene at Arthur Brown's home to visit his grieving family.

Her office door slammed opened and a frustrated Wufei marched in. Wufei wasted no time on his report. "Madam Vice President Grace Pruitt passed away this morning while in a conference with the President and the cabinet."

"What?" exclaimed Sally.

Wufei sighed in frustration. "It was a heart attack."

Sally immediately tensed. "Heart attack?"

Before Wufei could explain further, a young man quickly walked in their office, phone in hand. The Preventer looked back and forth from Wufei and Sally before offering the phone to Wufei.

"A call from a vehicle's mobile system," explained the agent. "The car belongs to Agent Greene, but… the voice isn't his."

Wufei brought the phone to his ear. "Agent Greene, what's the situation?"

The voice almost made Wufei drop the phone. _"Agent Green is MIA. One assailant is down, send backup. Trace this call to find the coordinates. Relena is safe and will be taken to a secure location."_

"Understood," said Wufei. The line went dead.

Sally looked at Wufei and saw his mixed emotions through his eyes – disbelief, relief, and to her surprise, slight amusement. "We have good and bad news."

"Bad news first."

"According to the caller, Agent Greene is missing. No details how and why," said Wufei. "Good news is that Relena Darlian is out of harm's way and will be taken to a safe location."

Wufei turned to the young Preventer who stayed throughout the phone call. "Agent Lewis, please contact Commander Une and relay this information to her. Agent Po and I would like to have an emergency debriefing with her in half an hour."

"Yes, sir," said Agent Lewis. He saluted and left the room.

Wufei turned his attention to Sally. The blonde woman, clearly worried about the issues that were starting to accumulate, gave him a questioning look. "You left out something."

"Which is?"

"The caller. Who was it? How do we know we can trust that person to protect Relena?"

"You needn't worry about that."

"And why is that?"

"Because Heero Yuy is with her."

* * *

><p>At the Preventers Center in Mars, Noin watched as Zechs looked out the window of his office, hands behind his back and his jaw clenched shut. The details of VFM Rosemary Glass's sudden death were being investigated and the crew of her shuttle was already being cross-examined. Zechs and Noin were appointed by Commander Une to lead the investigation. While the rest of the Preventers on site were convinced that the VFM's heart attack was from natural causes, Zechs thought otherwise.<p>

Noin crossed her arms and cleared her throat. "Zechs, what reason is there to believe this was foul play?"

Zechs didn't move from his position at the window. "None of the crew noticed anything wrong with her during their 12 hour flight. I'm sure they would have checked up on her now and then and would've seen signs."

"Heart attacks are often unpredictable," countered Noin.

"Arthur Brown died of an unexpected heart attack," began Zechs, "And now Rosemary Glass died of an unexpected heart attack. Two ESUN officials died within the same day. Doesn't that seem… strange to you?"

"Hm, it could be," said Noin. "But heart attacks are not only unpredictable, they can happen to anyone, too. It could be coincidence."

Zechs sighed. "Relena… she'll be devastated. She was good friends with both Arthur and Rosemary." Noin stood up and stood next to Zechs. She studied Zechs and saw a faraway look on his face. She knew that look: it was a look Zechs would unknowingly have whenever he thought of his sister.

Noin held one of his hands. Four years already passed since Zechs – the appointed leader of the White Fang – declared war on Earth. Four years… since he last saw his little sister. The last time they had faced each other was on Libra, when a determined Relena attempted to persuade Zechs to stop his plan of attacking Earth. And even during the Mariemaia Barton conflict, the two Peacecraft siblings didn't get the chance to reunite.

Afterwards, Zechs and Noin decided to travel to Mars just as the planet's terraformation was well underway. For Zechs, his last meeting with Relena didn't end in good terms. He hoped that there would come a time in this peaceful time where their paths would cross again and maybe – hopefully – they can somehow rebuild their relationship, with no conflicts to tear them apart.

Zechs's laptop was beeping. He gave Noin's hand a gentle squeeze and turned on the communication. "Preventer Water," acknowledged Zechs.

"I'm afraid I have more bad news," said Sally. "Vice President Grace Pruitt died of a heart attack early this morning."

"What?!" exclaimed Zechs and Noin at the same time.

Sally heaved a sigh and rubber her temples. "Three important figures dead in a matter of two days… what has the world gotten into?"

"This isn't just coincidence anymore," added Sally. "Three ESUN officials dead in a matter of days." She shook her head in disbelief. "Zechs and Noin, Commander Une has ordered that two of you to take a shuttle back to Earth as soon as you receive the report on Rosemary Glass. The meeting with Une will be at 0900 hours; I hope you'll receive it before then. I'll be contacting Agent Carter to keep an eye out there in Mars while the two of you are away."

Noin nodded. "We got it."

Despite the grim atmosphere, Sally managed to give them a smile. "It'll be nice to see you two again. It's been a while."

"Yes, it has," said Noin, returning Sally's smile.

* * *

><p>Relena vaguely remembered the events after the incident in the gas station due to her aching head. She only recalled noticing a gash on her left temple, Heero parking the car at an abandoned garage, and then the two of them walking for almost half an hour before arriving at what looked like a regular apartment complex. Everything after that became a blur to her. She probably guessed that she passed out from her migraine and exhaustion.<p>

The next time she was fully aware of her surroundings, Relena found herself lying on a sofa bed and saw Heero at his desk, typing rapidly on his laptop. Fully aware of her surroundings, she took a minute to examine Heero, wearing his infamous green tank and dark blue jeans. His black jacket hung on his seat and a pair of sneakers was neatly placed near his desk. Same old Heero – his fashion sense was for simplicity and comfort. Relena smiled at that.

She placed a hand on her forehead and felt a gauze on her left temple. "Heero, how long have I been out?" Relena asked, voice raspy. She heard Heero pause from his typing and then felt his presence beside her.

Relena opened her eyes. Heero was crouched down next to her on the couch. "Two hours. You hit your head pretty hard," said Heero. "Get more rest. We'll be heading to Preventers HQ early tomorrow morning."

Heero was about to stand up but Relena placed a hand on his forearm. "Heero?" Relena felt a lump in her throat. "Thank you."

"Hn."

A small smile graced her lips. It was a typical Heero answer – something she found she missed all these years. Relena looked around the small studio apartment; a small kitchen was adjacent to what she assumed was the bathroom. The place had little furniture: the sofa bed she currently occupied, a desk, a chest of drawers next to it, a fridge in the kitchen, and nothing else.

"Heero, where are we exactly?"

"We're in a safe house, just six hours away from headquarters," replied Heero. "Nobody can enter unless they provide a code. The location also helps us blend in with other civilians."

Relena nodded in understanding then moved on a sitting position. "Have you been here before?"

There was a slight pause before Heero took the space next to her on the sofa bed. He gave her a sidelong glance. "Sometimes. I use this as one of my hideouts in between my missions. Preventers gave me access."

"I see," said Relena, giving Heero a questioning look. The mention of missions and Preventers made Relena wonder what Heero was doing all those years he was gone. She was tempted to ask him but thought better of it. It wasn't the right time. Besides, there were other, more urgent matters they needed to do and her personal questions weren't a priority at the moment. Instead, she looked away.

Relena became momentarily lost in her thoughts that she mildly jumped when she felt a gentle tug on her hair. Relena looked at Heero as he lightly brushed his knuckles on her cheek. Relena remained still and silent, remembering a similar moment in the past where Heero had shown some semblance of affection and tenderness to her.

"_**Whoever they are… I will protect you."**_

Heero wasn't entirely certain where the urge came from – all he knew was that his body suddenly ached to have some kind of physical contact with Relena, who currently looked worn out and confused at the same time.

"Relena…" he started, unsure of what to say.

Relena took his hand and covered it with her own. "Heero, I really don't know what's going on right now… the attempted kidnapping and all. But I'm so glad you're here with me."

A comfortable silence followed. "You look good with shorter hair," said Heero suddenly, completely surprising Relena. Heero first noticed it when they were making their way to the apartment. She had opted for a hair length that was a little pass her shoulders.

Relena felt her cheeks get warm. "I like it, too."

Heero noticed that her eyes were becoming heavy and eased her down on the couch. He grabbed her coat and placed it on her shoulders. Relena looked at Heero in gratitude.

"Get some rest," said Heero, walking back to his desk. Relena yawned and whispered a quiet "you too" before falling into a deep slumber.

Heero gazed at her. There were things he wanted to say – things he knew _she_ wanted for him to say. He knew it the moment she looked at him with questioning eyes when he mentioned his missions for the Preventers. He knew Relena wanted to ask him where he had been the past three years, where he went after she offered him a sanctuary in her own home, or why she never heard from him.

He knew he owed Relena so many answers. Relena found the time to visit him at the hospital even though she and the ESUN busily rebuilt the organization after the conflict with Mariemaia and her army. Despite her unmistakable feelings for the pilot, Relena knowingly gave him the space and quiet he wanted while he recuperated in a small hospital. The woman gave so much time and devotion to him that he believed he didn't deserve.

His laptop beeped, distracting him from his thoughts and diverting his attention from the sleeping girl. Within seconds, the face of Wufei Chang popped up on his screen.

"Is the line secure?" asked Wufei. Heero gave a curt nod. After a moment's pause, Wufei gave Heero a small smile. "It's been a while, Heero Yuy."

"Hn."

"How is Miss Darlian?"

Heero took a quick glance at her then back to Wufei. "She's resting. Small head wound and complaints of a headache, but it should be gone by tomorrow."

"Good. We've identified her attacker: Ben Anderson. No criminal history. He's under Preventer custody right now."

"Did he say who he was working for?"

"The guy is still unconscious, actually. What the hell did you do to him?" asked Wufei, his tone laced with slight amusement.

"He should be interrogated once he's awake. We need to find out where his accomplice is."

"That's the plan," said Wufei.

"There's something else you need to know," added Heero quickly. Wufei raised an eyebrow.

"What is it?"

"The Preventer assigned to Relena… Agent Greene, correct?" At Wufei's nod, Heero continued, "He needs to be found and put into custody."

"What?" shouted Wufei through the vidcom. Heero placed a hand on his lips to silence his friend as Relena stirred in her sleep.

"I'll explain when we get to headquarters," said Heero. He spared another glance at Relena's sleeping form. "Relena needs her rest."

"Right," said Wufei. His face became solemn. "We've got more bad news, Heero." His voice lowered, wanting to avoid being heard by Relena. "Two more ESUN officials are dead: VP Grace Pruitt and VFM Rosemary Glass. Both experienced a heart attack."

Heero stiffened. "When will Preventers receive their results?"

"Should be by tomorrow," replied Wufei. "Until then, we can't know for certain if…" Wufei left his statement unfinished, hoping Heero understood what he wanted to say.

Heero confirmed with a short nod. "I understand."

"We'll be expecting you and Miss Darlian here at headquarters at 0900 hours."

"Roger."

There was a pause on the other line. Wufei looked at Heero in gratitude and acknowledgement. "Good to see you back, Heero," Wufei said before cutting off the communication.

Heero sighed. Things were already out of hand: a handful of ESUN representatives were dead from similar attacks, one of Relena's would-be kidnappers got away, and he still wasn't able to pinpoint who gave him the anonymous tip (which irritated Heero to no end). Whatever these occurrences are, Heero's determined to figure out each of them before things really get out of control.

* * *

><p>Une needed a painkiller or two to alleviate the migraine she was having. Three folders with the current details of the death of the three ESUN officials were arranged neatly on her desk. After her emergency debriefing with Wufei and Sally, Une also learned that Relena Darlian was almost kidnapped and that her assigned bodyguard was possibly involved in her kidnapping.<p>

_She's in Heero's care right now_. That was what Wufei said when he explained to her the girl's current situation. His words gave her relief; Relena was in good hands. Heero was trustworthy and was the best person capable of protecting Relena.

Now the biggest problem was making sense of the unfortunate and sudden deaths of Arthur Brown, Rosemary Glass, and Grace Pruitt. Sally had voiced her guess that the three deaths were connected and deliberate – three deaths of important officials within two days didn't look like coincidence. Or is it? True, all three had heart attacks… what were the chances that three individuals who worked for the ESUN would suffer the same fate? Why would they be attacked? But until they receive the autopsy results in a day's time, they didn't have enough proof that all incidents were connected.

A loud bell started to alarm in her office that also reverberated in the hallways. Une immediately stood up, grabbed her pistol and walkie talkie, and ran out her door. While a multitude of Preventer agents and other employees walked quickly pass her towards the emergency exits, Une sought out Wufei and Sally whose shared office were in the same floor.

"Commander!" yelled Wufei, emerging from his office with Sally.

"What's the situation? Who triggered the alarm?" asked Une, her voice almost drowned out by the loud alarm.

"I set the alarm," said Sally. "A Preventer was found dead from a heart attack. It was Agent Lewis."

Une froze, unbelieving. One of her agents dead from a heart attack. Could it be…? One look at Sally and Une knew they both were having the same thought: this isn't just coincidence anymore.

"Wufei, issue a lockdown of Preventers Headquarters," Une said in a commanding tone. "Nobody gets in or out of this building. All agents and employees are to assemble in the auditorium. No one is to leave the premises under any circumstances."

Une waved at another high-ranking Preventer. "Agent Rogers, I need you to take a small team and sweep the building for any suspicious characters or items."

"Ma'am?" asked Agent Rogers. The Preventer was baffled why his commander would go to such extreme measures.

Une closed her eyes momentarily. When she opened them, Wufei, Sally, and Agent Rogers saw the worry and fear in her eyes. "I believe, Agent Rogers, that the Preventers Headquarters is currently under attack."

* * *

><p>AN: I'm no scientist, so I wasn't sure how long it would take to travel from Earth to Mars. I searched on Google and it said it can take 150-300 days, but for the purpose of this story, let's just assume the technology during the AC Era has made travel faster between the planets :)

Also, I'm aware that autopsy results can take weeks, not in a day or two as implied in my story. Let's just say technology in this timeline has made that happen!

In the last episode of the GW series, when Heero gave Relena the teddy bear, Relena's hair length was shorter (it was a bit past her shoulders) compared to her long hair throughout most of the series. IMO, I think she looked prettier with shorter hair!

Thank you for reading! As usual, reviews and constructive criticism are very much welcome!

Yours truly, HG


	3. Chapter III: Many Meetings

**Chasing Time  
><strong>by heaven'sgirl

Standard disclaimer applies. Any names used in this story (that are not in the canon GW timeline) are fictional; they were randomly chosen for the purpose of this fanfiction.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter III: Many Meetings<strong>

[ DECEMBER 4, AC 199 ]

The sound of footsteps from a dozen or so individuals reached Commander Une's ears. Turning around on her swivel chair, she watched as the squad of Preventers, led by Agent Rogers, entered her office and gave her a quick salute.

Une stood and returned the gesture. "What's the report?"

"All clear, ma'am," said Agent Rogers. "No signs of any suspicious weapons or individuals."

Sally and Wufei walked in. Une dismissed the Preventers squad then sat down, a frustrated look on her face. Three nerve-wracking hours and no clear signs of an attack, though Une knew it had to be intentional. "These deaths are starting to pile up and we don't even have anything concrete to give to their families about their unexpected deaths," she said.

The two Preventers took a seat across from their Commander. "Rest assured, Commander Une, the results for the three ESUN officials should be sent out by tomorrow," said Sally.

Une looked at her watch. It was almost midnight. "I will issue an all-clear. All agents and other employees are allowed to exit the premises. That includes both of you," said Une. "You both have done a lot tonight; get some rest," she added, looking at Sally and Wufei in gratitude.

"You should go home as well, Commander," said Sally.

"No. I have to prepare for the press tomorrow. Three ESUN deaths within a matter of days, a kidnapping attempt on Miss Darlian, and an attack within Preventers do not look like just accidents or coincidences," Une said gravely.

Wufei and Sally exchanged looks. "We'll stay here with you," said Sally.

"You asked us to help investigate these deaths," said Wufei. "We'll help you prepare whatever you want to tell the media tomorrow."

Une knew there was no arguing with these two. Besides, she wouldn't mind the company. "Thank you," she said.

* * *

><p>[ DECEMBER 5, AC 199 ]<p>

"Does it still hurt?" asked Heero as he noticed Relena absentmindedly rubbed her head where her injury was. They were headed to Heero's vehicle in the underground parking lot of the apartment building.

"Hm?" Relena gave him a reassuring smile. "Just a bit."

Heero glanced at her but remained quiet. However, Relena saw the concern and unease in his midnight-blue eyes. Relena's smile widened and patted her head. "Don't you fret, Heero Yuy. This girl's got a thick head. I won't be beat that easily."

Heero's eyes softened slightly. "I know."

It was a short and simple reply, but it meant a lot for Relena. Despite not seeing the young man for years, she still felt the same comfort and peace that she always felt whenever she was with Heero. She gave him another smile as she and Heero made their way to his car. Heero motioned for Relena to stop a few feet from the vehicle while he inspected it for any danger. Satisfied, Heero opened the passenger door for Relena before he took the seat behind the wheel.

"It's still early, so you should get more rest," said Heero as he started the engine.

Relena shook her head as she buckled her seatbelt. "I'm fine, Heero. Did you get any sleep at all?"

Heero accelerated the car as they entered an almost-empty highway. "Just enough."

"I can drive if you're tired."

"I'll be okay," was his response. Heero glanced at Relena and saw her looking out the window, a sad look on her face. "What's the matter?" he asked, although he already had an idea on what was on her mind.

"I'm worried, that's all," she replied. She turned her attention to him. "My friend and former colleague, Arthur Brown… he died a few days ago and I was supposed to visit his family yesterday."

"I'm sure they will understand after you tell them what happened."

"Yeah, I hope so," said Relena. She shifted in her seat. "Arthur was such a dear friend. It's so unfortunate and unexpected what happened to him."

Heero wasn't sure if he should tell her the news that more of her former ESUN colleagues suffered a similar fate. It was clear that she cared deeply for those she worked with before. But Heero knew she was a strong young woman and she deserved the truth.

"Relena," said Heero, "I received more news from Preventers."

Relena braced herself for the worst. "What is it?"

"Vice President Pruitt and Vice Foreign Minister Glass both suffered heart attacks."

"Heart attacks? Just like Arthur?"

"Yes, but we can't know for certain if they are connected," said Heero. "Preventers will receive their results by today, according to Wufei. Until then, we can only wait."

The sadness was evident in her voice. "Then what?"

"If these were deliberate attacks and are somehow connected, then we'll do what we do best," said Heero, "We'll find out who the perpetrator is and put an end to these attacks."

Heero's determined statement gave Relena some hope and reassurance. "They were both very lovely people," she said.

Heero noticed her eyes were moist, but no tears fell. Instead, Relena folded her hands on her lap and closed her eyes. Not leaving his eyes on the road, Heero took one hand off the wheel and reached out to Relena. The action made Relena open her eyes, staring at her lap while one of Heero's hands quietly held hers.

Relena felt a fluttery feeling from the pit of her stomach. "Thank you, Heero," was all she said before giving Heero's hand a gentle squeeze.

* * *

><p>A large television at a restaurant was showing the morning news. Every customer within the eatery became fixated on the TV when the following news came up:<p>

"Breaking news: three ESUN officials have passed away from sudden heart attacks. The deceased are Arthur Brown, VFM Rosemary Glass, and ESUN Vice President Grace Pruitt. The Preventers has already started investigating these sudden deaths. However, the organization has not released any further details on the deaths of all three individuals."

Many people started gasping. Others began to talk loudly about their theories on what must have happened to the officials who died.

"Yo, can you turn the volume up?" a patron requested to one of the servers just in time to see on TV a straight-faced Commander Une approach a podium. A wave of reporters, microphones, recorders, flashing cameras, and a multitude of questions immediately bombarded her.

Une raised a hand to silence the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, at this time, we have not received any detailed information on the deaths of Mr. Brown, VFM Glass, and Vice President Pruitt. Until we obtain this information, we do not have any answers to many of your questions.

"What we do know is that all victims suffered from a heart attack. As to what triggered these attacks, the details are not yet available."

Une looked around, her features turning sad. "We ask you all to respect the privacy of the families and friends of all three ESUN officials during this devastating time. Thank you."

Everybody in the restaurant turned quiet and somber. Three individuals sitting at a table near a corner continued to watch the TV until a person with an unusually long braid turned on his chair to face his friends. "Wufei told me that they won't get the results 'til nine this morning," said Duo. "As soon as the news that Arthur Brown was dead, Commander Une requested for me to go to Preventers HQ to help Wufei and Sally investigate. So here I am, back on Earth."

Duo looked to his left. "I know why Quatre is back on Earth, but what brings you here, Trowa?"

His friend with the side bangs took a sip from his tea. "The circus will be performing all over Europe during this holiday season."

Quatre smiled at him. "The circus seems to be getting more popular every year."

"Indeed."

A male server approached their table. "Would any of you gentlemen want a refill of your drinks?" Trowa shook his head, Duo asked for another latte, and Quatre requested for another cup of tea. The server bowed and took their cups.

Duo stretched and yawned loudly. "At least you'll be having a bit of fun. Poor ol' Duo will probably be stuck in the office 'til this investigation is closed."

Quatre chuckled. "If it makes you feel any better, I'll be spending most of the holidays traveling. The housing development in L4 is almost in completion and I have been invited to attend the opening ceremony in Mars in a few weeks."

"Guess I'll see ya there, Quatre," said Duo. "I'll be in the security detail. With the recent deaths, Commander Une has issued a tighter security at the ceremony."

"I'm not surprised," Quatre said.

During Duo and Quatre's exchange, Trowa silently observed as their server took occasional glances in their direction as he prepared their drinks. He looked young, with hair the color of copper, gray eyes, and a small scar on his upper lip. For Trowa, the young man looked apprehensive and uneasy. In a few minutes, the same man walked to their table with their orders.

"Thanks, man," said Duo as he took his drink. "That was quick."

The server nodded mutely as he handed Quatre his tea. Trowa noticed that the man's hands were slightly quivering but he had a fixated gaze at Quatre's teacup. The server bowed again and hurriedly left their table. However, he wasn't quick enough from Trowa's gaze; the tall young man immediately saw the server pocket what looked like an empty vial.

On instinct, Trowa took the teacup away from a surprised Quatre. Duo saw his movements and instantly dropped his mug on the table. In seconds, Trowa dashed to where he saw the server disappear.

On his way, Trowa grabbed another server. "Where was that man that just went in here?" The woman pointed towards the back exit. However, despite his quick actions, Trowa already lost sight of the would-be server. In a few minutes, Duo and Quatre caught up with him, followed by some of the restaurant employees.

"Trowa, mind explaining to us what just happened there?" asked Duo. Trowa scanned the area and saw something glitter on the ground. Crouching down, he saw an empty vial.

"Duo, call for Preventers. We need proper equipment to secure this evidence," Trowa said seriously. He turned to the group of employees. "I'm sorry, but the restaurant needs to be temporarily closed for investigation."

The irate manager shook his head. "Excuse me? You disrupt my restaurant and have the nerve to order me around?"

"I'm sorry for the disturbance, sir, but it would be wise to follow our instructions," said Duo, showing his Preventer badge to the man. The manager immediately looked frightened and started stuttering with his apologies.

While Duo radioed for backup, Quatre approached Trowa. "What was that, Trowa?"

Trowa's eyes narrowed. "That man just tried to poison you."

Duo walked towards the two of them. "A Preventer unit should be here shortly. I've also ordered a 3-mile radius search of the area for that dude. What did the guy want?

Quatre answered for Trowa. "He tried to poison me."

"What the-?" exclaimed Duo. "Man, Trowa, you've got good eyes."

Within a few minutes, the Preventers backup arrived and started securing the perimeters of the restaurant. One Preventer took a few pictures then carefully placed the vial in a protected container.

The agent turned to Duo. "Agent Maxwell, the evidence will be transferred to Preventers' Forensics Department. Results should be available within the next few days."

"Thanks, Agent Beck," said Duo. "And uh, please directly give the results to me, Agent Chang, or Agent Po."

"Yes sir," replied the agent, leaving the trio alone and rejoining his team.

Trowa stood up and dusted himself. "Duo, if you don't mind, I'd like to go to Preventers HQ with you."

"Sure, Trowa."

"I'll go, too," said Quatre. He lowered his voice so only Trowa and Duo could hear him, "Could I have been a target just like Arthur Brown and the others?"

Duo scratched his head, thinking. "They died from a heart attack, Quatre. And besides, we don't even know if they were deliberate attacks…"

"But you think they are," interrupted Trowa.

"Yes, and so does Commander Une," said Duo. "But we need solid proof. Until we get the results that Wufei mentioned, we'll have to wait and see."

"Then we'll wait with you," insisted Quatre.

Duo chuckled. "It'll be a reunion. Only one missing will be the elusive Heero Yuy."

* * *

><p>Heero and Relena arrived at Preventers Headquarters with no incidents, except for the shock and dumbfounded looks they both received from Preventer agents and employees as the two made their way to Une's office.<p>

Heero knocked on the door as Relena waited patiently next to him, rubbing her eyes. She had insisted on staying up during their ride but ended up falling asleep halfway to their destination. She couldn't help it; the girl needed more rest, Heero noted.

"Come in," Une's voice said from inside. Heero opened the door and ushered Relena in.

Une had a relieved look on her face. "Heero Yuy, you always seem to be in the right place at the right time."

Heero shook his head. "I received a tip about Relena's kidnapping," he said in a dangerously low tone. "I've tried to trace the tip, but nothing came up."

Une wasted no time to get down to business. "Do you think it's connected to everything else that's been going on here?"

"I won't be surprised," said Heero.

Relena noticed the bags under Une's eyes. "Miss Une, you look like you need some rest."

Une gave her a smile. "I stayed here last night. Preventers had to issue a lockdown; one of my agents died of a heart attack."

Relena gasped and whipped her head to look at Heero, whose eyes narrowed dangerously. "Heart attack?"

"Let's move to the conference room. I'm expecting quite a number of people for our meeting," said Une as she ushered Heero and Relena to the room across her office.

"Please, take a seat," Une waved at a group of seats across the room. "Wufei and Sally will be here shortly. I also requested for Duo to join us as well."

Commander Une observed quietly as Heero gently placed a hand on Relena's back as he led her to a seat. Heero, in turn, decided to take a standing position behind Relena's chair. A small smile graced Une's lips.

A knock on the door permeated the silence of the room. Sally entered, followed by Wufei who handed Une two sets of folders. "They arrived earlier than expected," said Wufei.

Une's hands gripped the folders tightly and gave a curt nod to the group. "I will be back momentarily," she said and headed to her office, closing the door behind her.

Sally approached Heero and Relena, a smile on her face. "You two look good," she told them. "Although you might want to get that checked, Miss Relena," stated Sally as she motioned at the gauze on Relena's forehead.

Wufei joined them at the table. "Heero, Miss Darlian," Wufei said in greeting.

"Wufei," greeted Heero.

Someone cleared his throat loudly. All occupants of the room turned their heads to the source and found a grinning Duo, an observant Trowa, and a smiling Quatre at the door.

Duo put his hands on his hips, his grin widening, "Well, this IS a reunion."

Quatre and Trowa exchanged brief greetings with Sally and Wufei. Duo, meanwhile, practically skipped his way to the table, his braid swinging back and forth and took the seat across a smiling Relena and a poker-faced Heero.

If it was possible, Duo's grin got even wider. "Nice to see ya, buddy. Nobody told me you were invited to the party."

"Not originally," Wufei said. "There was an attempted kidnapping on Miss Darlian."

"Wait, WHAT?" exclaimed Duo and Quatre simultaneously. Trowa remained silent as he took a position near the door, his tall frame casually leaning against the wall, but his intense eyes gazed at Relena and Heero.

Relena sighed, exhausted and stressed. "It just happened yesterday, Duo. Agent Greene and I were at a gas station when were attacked. If it weren't for Heero, the kidnappers would have succeeded."

All eyes now turned to Heero. "Anonymous tip. No trace of the sender," said Heero.

His comrades looked surprised. "That's a first," muttered Wufei.

Heero's jaw muscles tightened. "I'm going to continue tracking it, once this meeting is over and Relena is safely escorted home."

"You informed me last night that Agent Greene must be put in custody," stated Wufei.

"Uh, WHAT?" said Duo, a confused look on his face.

An equally confused Quatre looked at Wufei then at Heero. "Agent Greene?"

"I don't understand…" muttered Relena, looking up questioningly at Heero.

"It was an unscheduled stop. Preventers-issued vehicles are always at full tank before they are used," explained Heero. "He didn't notify Preventers HQ of the change in route."

Relena couldn't believe what she was hearing. As much as she trusted Heero, she never saw Agent Greene as someone who would betray her. He was often in her security detail in many of her travels as Vice Foreign Minister and as Chief of the AH Project.

"But, Heero…" she started, but Heero placed a hand on her shoulder, silently asking her to listen to him.

"He let one of the kidnappers get away," added Heero.

"Heero, Agent Greene was hurt fighting him!"

"No, it was a ruse," he said firmly. "The moment I arrived, you were already being dragged by the second kidnapper. As soon as I took out the man holding you, Greene and his would be attacker already made a run for it."

"I did hear someone yell 'run,' but I wasn't sure who it was…" Relena trailed off.

"Greene getting attacked was to distract you, Relena," said Heero.

"So she wouldn't notice the other kidnapper," Duo piped in.

"Yes."

Wufei crossed his arms, incredulous. "You didn't chase after them though."

Before Heero could answer, a perceptive Quatre answered for him. "Wufei, Heero couldn't have just left Miss Relena by herself."

Wufei stiffened, feeling embarrassed. Of course Heero would give chase, if the circumstances were different and he didn't have to worry about Relena. He cleared his throat. "Do you remember what the other attacker looked like?" asked Wufei.

Heero nodded "Male. Possibly twenty years of age. Red hair, gray eyes, and-"

"A small scar on his lip?" interrupted Trowa.

Everybody's eyes were on him instantly. "You know him?" inquired Heero.

Trowa pushed himself away from the wall and approached the group. "A would-be server tried to poison Quatre this morning. He had the same features that Heero provided."

"That's why you and Quatre are here," said Heero. "Did you collect any evidence?"

"The vial that contained the poison is in the lab right now," added Quatre.

"So the same man who tried to poison Quatre is possibly the same man that tried to kidnap Relena?" Duo asked for clarification.

Heero nodded. "Most likely, yes."

A new voice spoke in the room. "We weren't informed about Miss Relena's kidnapping." Standing at the entrance of the room were Noin and Zechs, both wearing surprised expressions on their faces.

"If I knew this was gonna be a reunion party, I should have brought Hilde!" joked Duo.

Une reemerged from her office, holding the folders Wufei handed to her. There was a somber look on her face. "Good, you're all here. "We have much to discuss," she said. However, Une became silent and stared at the folders she was holding.

"How bad is it?" asked Sally, pulling Une from her reverie.

"Our worst fears have come been confirmed." Une inhaled and exhaled slowly. "The deaths were premeditated murders."

* * *

><p>AN: I've been looking forward to write this chapter because of the "reunion," as Duo aptly put it. Also I don't think the show ever gave information where Preventers HQ is, so for this story, I decided that it will be located in Brussels, since the Presidential Palace (Endless Waltz) was located here.

Additionally, since Brussels is a major location for international politics, I've taken the liberty to use this as the one of the focal settings of this story. That means the ESUN office building and Relena's residence will also be located here.

Thank you very much for all the reviews, likes, and alerts. It means so much to me knowing that this story has piqued the interest of awesome people like you :)

Yours truly, HG


	4. Chapter IV: Cognate

**Chasing Time**  
>by heaven'sgirl<p>

Standard disclaimer applies. Any names used in this story (that are not in the canon GW timeline) are fictional; they were randomly chosen for the purpose of this fanfiction.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter IV: Cognate<strong>

[ DECEMBER 5, AC 199 ]

Commander Une took the chair at the head of the table as most of the group took their seats, save for Trowa who returned to his prior post at the wall. Heero noticed Relena steal glances towards Zechs, clearly surprised and anxious to be in the same room with her brother. If Heero remembered correctly, the last time the Peacecraft siblings were together were in Libra four years ago. He gave Relena's shoulder a gentle squeeze before joining Trowa's side, crossing his arms.

"These are the autopsy results for Mr. Arthur Brown and Madam Grace Pruitt," Une said as she motioned at the two folders in front of her. She took out a page from each folder.

"We have the results for Ms. Rosemary Glass as well," Noin said, handing a folder she was holding to Une. Une opened the third folder, sifted through the papers then took out a page and quickly read it. She then proceeded to group all three separate documents together and handed it to Sally who was sitting to her right.

While Wufei and Sally silently read each page, Une cleared her throat, "As you all know, all three ESUN officials suffered heart attacks. And I'm sure that most, if not all, of you have your own assumptions and theories about these incidents. Some of you have already voiced out your opinions to me.

These heart attacks were indeed intentional. The coroner's office that performed the autopsy for Mr. Brown and Madam Pruitt found traces of a toxin in their systems. The same goes to Ms. Glass. As to what this toxin is, it's still unidentified."

"We can contact the head of ESUN's Department of Security and Defense to help us identify this toxin," suggested Sally as she gave the papers to Duo.

"Yes, I was hoping you can accompany me to Luxembourg at 1500 hours today. We're going to visit the main DSD laboratory; the toxin samples were already brought there," explained Une. "I'm hoping they can help us identify the toxin."

"Of course," said Sally.

Une looked at Trowa then Quatre. "I was made aware about the incident this morning. As soon as the results come up, we will check if the poison matches the toxin in our case."

"Noin and Zechs, I apologize in advance… but I want you both to return to Mars to create an emergency plan for the Mars Terraformation Ceremony that will be held there in seven days. We don't know how long this investigation will last, so I don't want to take any chances," said Une.

"We understand, Commander Une," said Noin. Beside her, Zechs gave a silent nod but not before taking a quick glance towards Relena's direction, who didn't notice his action.

"We'll be taking the earliest shuttle back to Mars tomorrow," Zechs said, sparing another glance to his sister. This time, she met his gaze in surprise. Zechs saw a hint of disappointment in her eyes, but he couldn't trust himself.

Une looked at the former Gundam Pilots. "You all could not have come at a better time. Wufei and Duo, I want you both to continue with the investigation while Sally and I are away. Find any lead on who is behind these attacks." She focused on Trowa and Quatre. "If it isn't too much to ask, it would be a great help if you can be in this assignment with Wufei and Duo."

Quatre smiled. "I would love to help, Miss Une."

"I'm in, too," said Trowa. "I suppose I should contact Catherine to let her know I'll be absent in the circus for a short time."

"We'll also try to track down Greene and his other accomplice," offered Duo.

"I appreciate it," said Une. "Heero, I want you to be in this investigation as well. It would be great to have you on board."

"Affirmative," replied Heero. "If we discover the identity of Relena's kidnapper – the same man that wanted to poison Quatre – I want to be there to find out."

"Thank you," Une said, making eye contact with every individual in the room. Despite the amount of work ahead of them, it made Une feel reassured that she had a team she can trust and rely on.

* * *

><p>"I do not see any serious concerns from your head injury," a Preventers doctor determined, examining the gash on Relena's forehead. "The cut is not deep and you don't have any serious signs of a concussion."<p>

Relena sighed in relief. "Thank you, Doctor York."

Nearby, Heero stood behind Relena, who was still in the same sitting position she was in when their meeting started. The rest of the group have filtered out of the room to tend to the duties assigned to them: Wufei, Duo, Trowa, and Quatre made their way to the headquarters' control center that has access to the world's largest data center and computer system; Sally was with Une in her office, making arrangements for their trip to Luxembourg; and Noin and Zechs quietly slipped out of the room.

When the doctor left, Relena heaved another sigh and looked at Heero. "I already sent a message to Pagan. He'll be here in 30 minutes to bring me home. My bodyguard, Jacqueline, will be here as well; along with two other Preventers that Commander Une has assigned to me for an indefinite time."

"I'll accompany you."

She shook her head. "My house is only half an hour away. Besides, Commander Une wants you to help here, Heero."

"I don't want a repeat of what happened yesterday."

"Heero, I trust Pagan with my life. Jacqueline is trustworthy as well and she's capable of protecting me. I will be fine. Trust me."

Heero handed her a small memory card. "If you need me, just plug that to your cellular phone or your computer and it should automatically connect you to my Preventers account. It'll be your main way of contacting me while I'm here."

"Just let me know how I could be of help."

"Relena…"

"Heero, I'm serious. Arthur, Grace, and Rosemary were my friends. I want to help bring justice to whoever did this to them. I can't just sit here-"

A knock at the door interrupted their conversation. Standing at the entrance was the tall figure of Zechs Marquise, his face impassive except for his eyes, which conveyed the uneasy and awkward feeling he was having at that moment.

"Milliardo…" breathed Relena. She slowly stood up, but remained at Heero's side.

"Zechs," acknowledged Heero.

"Can I have a word with Relena?" asked Zechs. A curt nod and Heero was instantly gone from the room.

Despite all of her articulate speeches and oratory skills, Relena found herself unable to find the right words to say to the man standing before her. The last time she saw her brother was during her abduction by Mariemaia, when Zechs and Noin – in their mobile suits – were fending off other mobile suits ordered by Dekim Barton.

"_**It's beginning to look like a sibling reunion will be next to impossible this time."**_

Relena closed her eyes. Mariemaia's words rang clear in her head; at that time, she truly thought that she would never get the chance to see her brother again. After the Barton conflict, Commander Une had informed her of Zechs and Noin's destination: Mars. While she was grateful for their contribution to the Mars Terraformation, she was disappointed for all the missed opportunities to meet up with her brother every time she was in Mars.

"You've grown, Relena."

"I could say the same to you," Relena said, opening her eyes. "You got taller."

"You look well."

"Yes. So do you, Milliardo."

The sound of his birth name coming from her lips stirred a feeling of longing and shame in Zechs. After the death of their parents, Zechs had abandoned the Peacecraft name and his family's ideals when he joined Oz and took up weapons. He remembered her words to him during their confrontation in Libra.

"_**I don't know whether I'm being held in the arms of Milliardo, the kind brother I once knew… or in the bloodstained hands of Zechs Marquise."**_

Zechs took a step closer to her. "You called me 'Milliardo.'"

"Do you prefer a different name?"

"The last time we talked, you weren't sure whether to call me 'Milliardo' or 'Zechs,'" Zechs said with a slight hint of bitterness. Her words struck him then and had continued to plague his mind.

"You _are_ my brother," she countered.

Zechs took a few more steps until he was an arm's length from Relena. "Listen, Relena. I… I want us to start over. The last time we talked… it wasn't the best time."

He voiced out what she was feeling the entire time. "I'd love that."

"I have to leave for Mars with Noin tomorrow morning," said Zechs. "But you'll be there at the ceremony, right?"

Relena's eyes shined with hope and optimism. "Yes."

"Then we can possibly-"

His sister read his mind. "I will ask my secretary to revise my schedule so I can take a week's worth of vacation in Mars."

Zechs smiled. "I'll see you then."

Relena mirrored his smile then suddenly enveloped her brother in a hug. Zechs quickly composed himself from the initial shock and returned her embrace, closing his eyes and putting his chin on top of her head.

"Thank you."

* * *

><p>When Zechs accompanied Relena outside Preventers HQ, they found Pagan already waiting in a white sedan with three other Preventers nearby. A series of barks made the siblings look to their immediate left and saw Heero affectionately pet Relena's dog, a three year-old German Shepherd.<p>

Relena left her brother's side and went to the pair. Her dog immediately bounded forward to greet her, craving its owner's attention. Relena laughed and happily obliged.

"You know, Max isn't usually friendly with strangers," Relena said to Heero.

"Hn."

The dog bounced back and forth between Heero and Relena, wanting both of their attentions. The action made Relena laugh again. "He likes you."

Heero remained silent, but Relena noticed his small smile. Nearby, after exchanging greetings with Pagan and giving instructions to the Preventers assigned to Relena, Zechs cleared his throat. "Relena, it's time for you to go home and get some rest."

Relena nodded and made her way to the car, followed by Max and Heero. She waved to her butler and the Preventers next to him. "Hi Pagan."

"Miss Relena," greeted Pagan.

Relena turned to her brother and gave him another hug. "Call me when you and Noin are back in Mars."

"I will," Zechs said. Noticing that they've been hugging each other a while in front of the others, Relena nervously smiled and released her brother from her embrace. She marveled at how happy she felt the moment she started to patch things up with her once-estranged brother. Zechs must have been feeling the same way for he mirrored her smile.

Relena then turned to Heero. "Thank you, Heero."

"Call me when you need me."

"I know," Relena said, entering the back of the car. Max gave Heero's hand a friendly lick then took the space next to Relena, putting his head on her lap. Relena gazed at Zechs and Heero, standing side-by-side as they watched her leave. A hopeful smile graced her lips as she waved goodbye to both men.

Heero and Zechs continued watching Relena's car until they lost sight of it when the vehicle rounded a corner. There was a tense silence as each man inwardly pondered what to say or do in each other's presence. The last time they were face-to-face, they were in their respective mobile suits and fighting each other in space.

"_**Zechs, nobody is strong. All of humanity is weak and that includes us as well."**_

"You made it," said Zechs. "The last news I heard of you was that you were in the hospital after you destroyed the presidential mansion."

Heero observed the people passing them, but he concentrated on Zechs's words. The older man continued, "Thank you… for protecting my sister."

Just like with Relena, Zechs wanted to settle some unfinished business with the man his sister was clearly fond of. He knew Heero could never be far away from Relena. Zechs knew Heero's reason to protect his sister was beyond Heero's self-appointed mission of keeping the peace, whether Heero was fully aware of it or not.

"_**Why don't you kill me?"**_

"_**Relena would be sad."**_

Zechs looked at Heero. "You care about her."

There was a pause. Then, "Yes."

Zechs stuck out his hand. Heero looked at it, made eye contact with Zechs, then shook his hand. Afterwards, Zechs walked off towards another car in the distance. From the driver's seat, Noin look at Heero through her side-view mirror and waved at him. Heero nodded in acknowledgement.

As he was walking back to the Preventers building, Heero heard Zechs call out to him, "Heero! Relena is planning to take a vacation in Mars. Make sure it happens."

Heero quietly smiled to himself. "Mission accepted."

* * *

><p>Duo, Trowa, Quatre, and Wufei stood in front of a room called High Priority Control Center, located in the basement of the Preventers Headquarters.<p>

"Holy crap, I've never been in this room before!" commented Duo, pressing his face on the bullet-proof glass that enclosed the room.

The dimly lit room was rectangular in shape. A dozen desk stations formed three rows that spanned the room, with each station containing three to five touch-screen monitors, keyboards, multiple telephones, and other high-tech machines. In addition, three bigger monitors lined the front wall.

"Not many people have access to this room," informed Wufei.

"It's only used for priority situations and high-level investigations," added Heero, who quickly caught up with the group.

"What the hell?" said Duo. "Don't go sneaking up like that. Jeez."

"Hn."

Heero swiped a keycard, typed in a password, then the whole room came alive – the glass doors unlocked, the room lights brightened, the monitors turned on, and the low hum of electricity resonated in the room.

Duo, Trowa, and Quatre - all three who have never been in the room before – walked around and surveyed the entire control center. Wufei already chose a station in the middle row and started to reread the files they received that morning while Heero remained standing near the entryway.

Duo inspected some of the gadgets that he found on one of the desks. "This room's pretty high tech. Wouldn't be surprised if this baby's got some state-of-the-art weapons, too."

At Duo's words, Heero walked to a dial pad on the left side of the wall. After typing another pass code, the wall vibrated momentarily then, seemingly in slow-motion, the white wall flipped and revealed the other side: a wall of weapons of different sizes and shapes.

"No way!" shouted Duo, running towards the wall. Quatre joined him to examine the stash. Heero stood nearby with his arms crossed.

"These aren't the usual Preventer-issued weapons," observed Quatre.

"No, they're too dangerous to use," said Heero. "That's why they're tucked away here. Only a few select and trusted people know they exist. They will only be used under extreme situations. And I'm hoping it won't come to that."

Duo gave him a mock look of hurt. "Oh, I see what you're saying. I'm not trustworthy enough to know of this place. Ouch."

"Now you know."

Duo looked at him, eyebrow raised. "How do you know so much about this place anyway?"

"That's because he helped design and oversee its construction," said Wufei, his eyes never leaving the pages he was reading.

"It's quite impressive," complimented Trowa, choosing the station next to Wufei's and taking one of the folders offered by Wufei.

Quatre sat on a station in the front row. "Shall we get down to business then?"

"What's the plan?" inquired Trowa.

"We need to retrace the activities of all three victims prior to their deaths," Wufei responded. "I'll take on Arthur Brown's schedule. Duo, you take Grace Pruitt's. Quatre, yours will be Rosemary Glass. According to their reports, the toxin was already in their system twelve hours before the symptoms took effect. Examine their schedules carefully; check what their eating habits are. It must have been consumed via food or water."

"Aye aye, el capitan," said Duo, grabbing the file on Grace Pruitt and making himself comfortable in the station next to Quatre's.

"Got it," said Quatre.

"I'll try to find any useful information on the server that tried to poison Quatre. I'm sure we can access the restaurant's surveillance so I can find a good quality image of the guy and find a match in the system," offered Trowa.

"I'm going to continue tracing the anonymous tip I received that alerted me to Relena's kidnapping," answered Heero. "It could be connected to the investigation."

Quatre raised a question, "But if it is somehow connected and Miss Relena was also a target, shouldn't they have attacked her the same way they attacked the three ESUN delegates?"

"That's why I want to focus on tracing this tipper before anything else," said Heero, taking out a flash drive and settling on the desk station adjacent to Trowa's. "He or she must have information about the would-be kidnappers."

Duo put his arms behind his head and leaned back on his chair. He watched as Quatre meticulously read the file for Rosemary glass, saw Heero typing rapidly, noticed Trowa narrow his eyes at the computer screen, and almost laughed out loud when he saw Wufei wear his reading glasses.

Duo smiled, feeling thoughtful. The five of them started out differently and came from diverse backgrounds and life stories, but their destinies were meant to cross eventually, becoming the five renowned Gundam Pilots that helped bring peace and unity on Earth and the Colonies. Individually, they were strong and capable; but together, they were unstoppable.

Working together again after a long time, Duo felt high-spirited and cheerful. Despite their daunting task, he felt reassured knowing they had each other for support. They were a team – they always will be. Next to him, Quatre sensed his enthusiasm and gave Duo a knowing smile.

Duo grinned back. "Just like old times, eh?"

* * *

><p>"What would you like for lunch, Miss Relena?" asked Pagan as he, Relena, and the three Preventer agents walked the steps to Relena's modest, two-story townhouse, located just thirty minutes away from the ESUN building and Preventers HQ.<p>

Relena had bought the place shortly after she left her position as Vice Foreign Minister. Besides the usual kitchen, living room, and small dining room that most homes have, the townhouse had three bedrooms: the downstairs bedroom belonged to the aging Pagan; the master bedroom upstairs was Relena's sanctuary; and the adjacent room to hers was the guest room, usually occupied by whichever Preventer was assigned. The place also had one carport and a small backyard, Max's favorite part of the house (besides Relena's bed).

Relena yawned. "No thank you, Pagan. I think I'm going to take a nap instead."

Her bodyguard, Jacqueline, introduced the two other Preventers assigned to her for the day. "We will be here downstairs if you need anything, Miss Relena."

"Thank you, Jacqueline," said Relena, ascending the stairs with Max not far behind. As soon as she opened the door, Relena leaped on her bed and laid on her back, arms spread out over her head. Max gave out a bark and sat patiently at the foot of her bed, tilting his head curiously as Relena grabbed a brown teddy bear near her pillows.

"Come here, Max," Relena patted the space next to her. In one leap, her dog joined her side and almost grabbed the stuffed animal with his mouth if not for Relena's quick reflexes. "Do you remember that boy that petted you earlier? His name is Heero. He's the one who gave me Teddy."

While Relena adjusted the blue ribbon on the teddy bear and playfully struggled with Max who wanted the teddy bear to himself, faithful Pagan took a moment's pause at the door to watch Relena, a smile on his face. For a 19-yeard old girl, Relena was wise and experienced beyond her years. Yet, seeing her like this, doting on a teddy bear that meant a lot to her than anybody will ever understand, he also saw the little girl that he helped raise like his own child. Relena was strong and intelligent, but she was also young and delicate.

"Miss Relena, your mother called this morning," he said. "She left a message to let you know that she is home safe from her visit at the L1 orphanage."

"I'm going to contact her tonight." Relena sat on her bed, smiling. "Pagan, it finally happened. I talked to Milliardo today."

"It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Yes, but he's returning to Mars tomorrow morning."

"So soon?"

"I'm going to call Chris later this afternoon to have her change my schedule this month. I'm hoping to stay in Mars for another week after the ceremony."

Pagan nodded in understanding. "I can call Miss Chris for you, Miss Relena. Take a break. Mister Yuy made me promise to make sure you get enough rest."

"Heero?"

"That boy cares for you."

Relena looked at the teddy bear in her hands. "He's the type who keeps his promises."

"Miss Relena, I will be leaving in a few minutes to go to the market for tonight's dinner. Do you have anything you would like for me to get while I'm out?" Pagan asked.

"No thank you, Pagan," said Relana. "I still have to take that nap."

The old butler chuckled. "If you need anything, Miss Jacqueline is downstairs."

"Yes, thank you."

"Come, Max," Pagan addressed the dog, "Miss Relena needs her rest." The dog barked in understanding and obediently left the room with Pagan.

When the door closed with a click, Relena walked to her closet, removed her clothes from yesterday, and put on a pair of lavender-colored pajamas. With an exhausted sigh, she plopped down on her bed, covered herself with the quilt that her mother gave her, and was soon fast asleep, the teddy bear in her arms.

In what seemed like a few minutes, a beeping noise echoed in her room. Relena blearily opened her eyes and checked her watch (in her exhaustion, she had forgotten to take it off), realizing she already slept for two hours. Stretching, Relena turned on her laptop and gasped loudly as she saw the person on the video feed.

A playful smile greeted her. "It's been a long time, Miss Relena."

* * *

><p>"Sally, you're the best!" Duo uttered loudly as he made a mad dash on the pile of food she brought.<p>

"Well, everybody needs to take a break now and then," said Sally. "Besides, it's lunchtime."

Unlike Duo, the other four didn't rush for the food. Heero and Trowa each took a water bottle; Wufei and Quatre took sandwiches. Sally regarded each young man and smiled. It's been a while since she's seen all of them in one room.

While the rest of the group went back to their respective stations with food in hand (with Sally joining Wufei's side to examine his researched information), Quatre brought his seat next to Heero who was typing various codes on his computer.

"Heero?"

"Quatre," Heero acknowledged, never leaving his eyes on the screen.

"How have you been, Heero?"

"Good."

"Where have you been all this time? We were wondering where you went off to after… well… after the conflict with Mariemaia Barton."

The typing stopped. "I've been on Earth, mostly."

"You've been on Earth all this time?"

"Mostly," Heero corrected.

Quatre leaned back on his chair. "It would be nice to see you here once in a while." A hesitant pause. "I'm sure Miss Relena would love that."

"There were things I needed to do first," Heero admitted. He looked straight ahead of him, gathering his thoughts. "There are things I _still_ need to do."

Before Quatre returned to his station, he placed a comforting hand on Heero's shoulder. "Heero, you once told me that we have to stop worrying so much about the past and concentrate on the future instead (1)," said Quatre. "We've all had troubled pasts. But look at us now: Duo is a Preventer and is happily living with Hilde; Trowa found his home with the circus; Wufei found his calling in the Preventers; and I am happily involved in the Affordable Housing Project."

Heero remained silent.

"I think… it's time for you to follow your own advice, don't you think?" continued Quatre thoughtfully. "Miss Relena cares for you… a lot. And I know you care for her, too. I think it's time for you to figure out how you want her to be in your life, and you in hers."

Without another word, a smiling Quatre made his way back to his desk.

"Quatre."

"Yes, Heero?"

A ghost of a smile. "Thanks."

"Of course."

An alert popped up on Heero's monitor. With one click, Relena appeared on the screen, looking quite upset.

"What is it?" asked Heero. From the distressed look on her face, it wasn't good news. Heero grabbed his keys and jacket.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you… but, do you think you can come over? I received a message, but it's not meant for me. Well, not me alone."

"I'm on my way."

Heero's comrades stopped their activities and looked at him in question. "Is Relena alright?" Quatre asked, concerned.

"She received a message, but that's all she told me." Heero walked quickly to the exit. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

* * *

><p>Relena sat quietly on her bed, eyes focused ahead but her mind focused elsewhere. If what the messenger said was true, then the gravity of the situation that was being investigated by Heero and co. was worse than they thought.<p>

She heard the doorbell ring downstairs and Max started barking. Grabbing a sweater from her closet, she walked to her door and pressed her ears against it. Relena heard Jacqueline greet Heero before leading him upstairs to her room.

"I'll take it from here," Heero said outside Relena's door.

"Yes, Agent Yuy."

Relena opened the door and ushered Heero quickly. While Relena made sure that nobody was outside her bedroom door, Heero examined her room and his eyes flicked at a familiar object on her bed. The corners of his lips twitched.

"Thanks for coming on such short notice, Heero."

"Who sent you the message?" inquired Heero.

Relena sighed heavily and pointed to her laptop. "Heero, you remember Dorothy?"

* * *

><p>(1) A scene from Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Ground Zero<p>

* DSD = Department of Security and Defense  
>* <em><strong>"(quote)"<strong>_flashback quotes

A/N: As much as I enjoy reading those humorous stories about Heero and Zechs pissing off each other, I wanted to take a different approach on what their relationship would be like after the series. Both men share something in common - Relena – and both men do seem to respect each other. I think Zechs sees Heero as someone who is the most competent and capable of taking care of Relena.

Thank you for reading and for your patience!  
>Thank you so so much for all the reviews, alerts, and faves!<p>

Yours truly, HG


	5. Chapter V: Breakthrough

**Chasing Time  
><strong>by heaven'sgirl

Standard disclaimer applies. Any names used in this story (that are not in the canon GW timeline) are fictional; they were randomly chosen for the purpose of this fanfiction.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter V: Breakthrough<strong>

[ DECEMBER 5, AC 199 ]

"_Heero, you remember Dorothy?"_

Heero nodded, taking the seat in front of Relena's computer. "Dorothy Catalonia."

"Well, if it isn't Heero Yuy in the flesh," Dorothy commented with her usual smooth and charming tone. "But I shouldn't be surprised. You _would_ be out the door the second you receive that anonymous tip about Miss Relena's kidnapping."

"You sent that message?" Heero almost growled. "The trace didn't belong to your address."

"Of course it didn't," said Dorothy. "The Preventers isn't the only organization that has an impenetrable network system. I do work for the DSD, if you weren't aware of that fact."

Heero was becoming irritated. "You used the department's system to send me the message? Why didn't you just contact the Preventers directly?"

Dorothy chortled. "I was going to, but where's the fun in that? I wanted some kind of reunion… and you both did not disappoint."

Relena sighed. "Dorothy, if you're here to pick on me and Heero, now is not the time."

"I apologize, Miss Relena," Dorothy said, her voice genuine.

"Tell me how you found out about the attempted kidnapping on Relena," demanded Heero.

"Two days ago, I was working late at the DSD office," told Dorothy. "Some of the DSD labs were shutting down, so the department's scrambling to find some funding to keep them open. Anyways, I was talking on the phone with a friend when it accidentally intercepted another conversation.

"The moment I heard their plans of kidnapping Miss Relena, I knew I had to contact the best person to rescue her. Naturally, the first thing that came to mind was you."

"Did you recognize the voices?"

"Unfortunately, no." Dorothy scanned her office, then lowered her voice. "But I can tell you this: one of the voices belonged to someone in the department. I had a hunch that one of them must be nearby… my phone wouldn't have picked up the conversation if they were both far away."

Heero scoffed. "They had horrible communication."

"Yes, so I walked around the floor I was in and heard a voice within one of the offices. The voice from the office matched one of the people on the phone, word-by-word. But before I can find out his identity, their conversation ended and I had to get out before I got caught eavesdropping. However, I did hear one name that was mentioned in the conversation…"

A loud, knocking sound was coming from Dorothy's connection. "The name was John Hall. That's all I have to tell you both. I have to go now. Duty calls."

Relena smiled gratefully at her. "Thank you, Dorothy. It's good to see you again."

"Likewise, Miss Relena."

When their communication ended, Relena sat on her bed. "Heero, I know you and Dorothy were never in the best of terms… but _I_ know her and what she's been through. Although she claimed to enjoy war… that's far from the truth. She hates war because it took her father's life. So what I'm trying to say is: I trust her and I have complete confidence that what she told us was the truth."

Heero gazed at her in quiet admiration. Relena was right; he was never in good terms with Dorothy. The woman had challenged him to a fencing match in the Sanc Kingdom and had admitted directly to Relena that she was a spy for Romefeller. Yet, despite Dorothy's mistakes, Relena was strong enough to put those mistakes behind and saw beyond the cunning woman that Dorothy pretended she was.

"Alright, Relena," said Heero. "But if Dorothy's story is accurate, then our group has to be more cautious. If what she said is true, someone working for the ESUN is working with the enemy."

"Then we have to contact Commander Une as soon as possible, especially if she will be visiting one of the DSD's laboratories," Relena said, dialing Une's connection.

"Wait," Heero commanded. He typed a series of codes on Relena's laptop before she made the video call to Une. On Relena's inquiring look, Heero explained, "It's to make sure nobody will intercept the call."

After one ring, the Head of Preventers was on the line. _"Heero? Is something wrong?"_

"I've got some bad news, Commander."

"_Tell me."_

"Someone from ESUN is working with our killer."

* * *

><p>"Ya got anything, Quatre?"<p>

The blond shook his head. "Nothing, so far."

"Wufei?"

"None."

"Trowa?"

"I got a high quality image of Quatre's attacker. The database is searching for a match right now."

"At least you have something," commented Duo, yawning. "Man, this is rough. We went through all the crime scene photos and evidence. Nothing in their food or drinks have any traces of the toxin. Whoever delivered the poison must have been good."

Suddenly, Wufei stood up from his seat and faced Duo. "What did you say?"

Duo blinked, halfway through another yawn. "This investigation is 'rough'?"

"What did you say after that?"

"We went through all the crime scene evidence?"

"The last thing you said?"

"Whoever delivered the toxin must have been good?"

Something dawned on Wufei for he quickly grabbed a picture from each victim's file. He motioned for the others to gather at the three photos on the desk. "We've been looking at it incorrectly," said Wufei.

"What do you mean?" asked Quatre.

"What if the victims weren't poisoned through food or drink, but were poisoned through _something else_?"

The other three looked at each other, realization dawning on their own faces.

"Look at each crime scene picture," continued Wufei. He pointed at Arthur Brown's picture. "A red envelope was found on his desk."

Duo was nodding and pointed at the crime scene photo for Grace Pruitt. "Her binder had a red envelope sticking out of it."

It was Quatre's turn. "According to her secretary, Rosemary was reading letters when she was found dead in the airplane." He pointed at a stack of envelopes next to the body: a distinctly red envelope was among them.

Wufei was becoming excited with this breakthrough. "Agent Lewis was assigned to screen Preventers letters and packages just the day before she had the heart attack."

"Oh my God," muttered Duo. He looked at Trowa and Quatre then looked at Wufei. "You mean…?"

"The poison wasn't consumed through food or drink," repeated Wufei. "The poison was inhaled."

* * *

><p>"<em>Someone from ESUN is working with our killer." <em>

A momentary pause followed as Une let the information sink in. "How did you come to this conclusion?"

"Someone working under the Department of Security and Defense is in contact with whoever planned the kidnapping on Relena," answered Heero.

"How did you get this information?"

"Dorothy Catalonia. She contacted us not too long ago," Relena chimed in.

"She's also our anonymous tipper," added Heero. Heero and Relena proceeded to take turns telling Une everything that Dorothy had told them. Throughout their story, Une listened intently and took notes as she saw fit.

After recounting Dorothy's tale, Une took another moment's pause. "The name John Hall sounds very familiar, but I can't be sure."

"If he was mentioned in the conversation heard by Dorothy, he should be a person of interest in our investigation," said Heero. "He should be found and questioned."

Before she left, Une gave Heero one last order. "Notify the rest of the team that we will have another meeting at 0700 tomorrow as soon as Sally and I return from Luxembourg. Contact Zechs and Noin as well; they will have to delay their return to Mars."

"Understood."

Relena started pacing the room, while Heero took a standing position near her door (and making sure there were no unwanted eavesdroppers). "What should we do now?"

"You stay here. I'm going back to headquarters to continue with this investigation. Do not leave the premises unless you have a bodyguard with you or when I pick you up myself."

Relena stopped her pacing and frowned at Heero. "Fine. But you will take me to the meeting tomorrow." When she saw Heero about to protest, Relena continued, "I told you… I want to help in this case. I won't be left in the shadows, Heero."

The tone of her voice wasn't that of begging – it was far from it. Relena was demanding – stern yet polite. Heero knew that Relena seriously wanted to be involved in the investigation. She had minimal experience on how to investigate, but her extensive knowledge of ESUN and her friendship with the victims can be of use. Her kidnapping was most likely connected to this whole investigation anyway. And besides, it would be easier for Heero to keep an eye on her.

"Okay," he finally said.

"Okay?"

"I'll pick you up at six in the morning. I'm certain Une would be against having you get too involved in this case... and I'm sure your brother wouldn't like the idea of you being involved. However, since you really want to help with the investigation, just… stay close to me."

His words stirred some of Relena's deeply buried emotions. "Heero…"

"I will protect you." Heero felt somewhat foolish to utter the familiar words to her again, but he believed they were the best words to tell her what he felt when other words seemed to fail him. He just hoped she would understand.

She looked at him, her eyes soft and intense at the same time. She understood the meaning behind his words: Heero would protect her for as long as he could, no matter what the circumstances or consequences were.

"I know," whispered Relena.

* * *

><p>When Heero returned to Preventers HQ, he found his comrades together mulling over the new information they had. Quatre was scribbling more notes on the blackboard when Duo greeted Heero on his arrival.<p>

"Is Miss Relena alright?"

"She's fine."

"And…?"

"We received valuable information from an inside source." And for the second time that day, Heero recalled Dorothy Catalonia's message to him and Relena.

Wufei was shaking his head. "This just keeps getting worse."

Heero was reading every detail written on the blackboard. "Poisoned through inhalation? The toxin was airborne?"

"It must have been," explained Wufei. "There were no traces of the poison found in any of the food consumed by the victims."

"The toxin was delivered through an envelope?"

Wufei sighed, slightly dejected. "The crime scene investigators overlooked that detail."

Trowa, who had gone quiet ever since the breakthrough in their investigation, finally spoke. "It still doesn't explain why Quatre was targeted differently."

"We won't know for certain if the attempted attack on Quatre is connected to these murders… not until we find out if whatever was in the vial matches the toxin from the ESUN victims," countered Wufei.

"But we do know that the attacks on Relena and Quatre are connected," stated Heero.

"Funny you mentioned John Hall," interjected Trowa. "His name is connected to a man named Stephen Holt – the name of the guy who tried to poison Quatre and who tried to help Greene with Relena's failed kidnapping."

"This investigation is already giving me a headache," commented Duo.

Quatre suddenly spoke. "I know John Hall." The others turned to him. "While Miss Relena was still the Vice Foreign Minister, he was the head scientist of the Biological and Chemical Weapons Division under the DSD," he explained.

"That division was removed ever since Relena's Disarmament Edict was passed," Heero said.

Quatre nodded in confirmation. "As head of that division, the doctor wasn't at all pleased that most of his laboratories had to be shut down. He was invited to join the newly developed ESUN defense program, but the doctor has quit his position by then."

Duo snapped his fingers as he started remembering more details about the man named John Hall. "Oh yeah, I remember him now! I've heard he's kind of a nut job… typical mad scientist, I guess," Duo said thoughtfully. His words caused Duo to experience a flashback during the time all of five of them worked for similar 'mad' scientists. He frowned to himself.

"Could he have any role in this toxin? He was a scientist after all," Wufei noted.

"John Hall is linked to Relena's kidnapping, not the ESUN murders," said Heero.

"But he could be the link between the two cases," stated Trowa thoughtfully.

Quatre noticed Heero return to his desk. "Heero, what are you doing?"

Heero's mind was already set. "I'm going to look for John Hall."

* * *

><p>The first thing that Une and Sally noticed as they were escorted within the walls of the DSD's science laboratory in Luxembourg was the pristine white walls of the compound, partly hidden among the deciduous trees in the outskirts of the Oesling region in Luxembourg (1). The site was heavily guarded and contained multiple checkpoints before reaching the laboratory complex itself. Each room in the laboratory was equipped with the most advanced scientific technology and communication was limited to the higher ranking scientists working in the compound. Each scientist went through a rigorous background check in order to ensure that the laboratory was run by the best; clearly, the DSD spared no expense.<p>

A laboratory assistant named Andre was escorting them to an office, its walls as pristine as the rest of the compound. Standing in the middle of the room was a middle-aged man with dark brown hair and piercing green eyes. His hands were casually stuffed in his lab coat pockets and an excited smile was on his face. As soon as Une, Sally, and their security team entered, the man approached them and immediately shook hands with his guests.

Andre cleared his throat, his deep voice echoing in the quietness of the room. "This is Doctor Samuel West, Head of the DSD Defense Project here in Luxembourg. Doctor, this is Commander Une of the Preventers and Agent Sally Po."

Une immediately went down to business. "You received the blood samples of our victims, correct?"

West nodded. "We received the sample from your headquarters yesterday, Commander. My assistants are processing them as we speak."

"When will we get the results?" asked Sally Po.

The doctor looked her up and down, giving Sally a look that showed irritation at their questions. "In time, Agent Po," he replied.

It seemed that time was on their side. A young scientist named Veronica approached the doctor, an anxious expression on her face. She handed West a stack of papers that he purposely snatched from her shaking hands. Both Une and Sally observed the almost wild and disbelieving look in his eyes, which seemed to worsen the more he read the results.

Doctor West looked at the Preventers agents, back to the papers in his hands, then back to the agents once more. His mouthed opened and closed, but no words came out. Sally wondered if the doctor didn't know how to explain the results to them in simple terms or if something more serious was about to be revealed by the nervous scientist.

It was his protégé and personal assistant Andre that brought the doctor back to his senses. "Dr. West, the results?"

The doctor cleared his throat. "The toxin found in the victims is… I mean, _was_ produced by our one of our laboratories two years ago."

Une and Sally were aghast. "What?" the Preventers Commander exclaimed.

Doctor West handed her the papers and continued explaining, "Toxin X. Before most of our laboratories closed, one of our scientists produced this toxin for defense purposes… but of course that whole weapons project was scrapped the moment Darlian's edict was passed. Toxin X was supposed to be destroyed when the laboratory was closed."

"Toxin X?"

"It's a toxin that is consumed airborne. It targeted the circulatory systems…"

"Which caused the heart attacks on the victims," muttered Sally Po. The doctor nodded in confirmation. Une was still going through the paperwork when she stopped at a page, her finger pointing at a name on the paper.

Sally glanced at the name. "John Hall." She gave Une an inquisitive stare. "What's he got to do with this?"

It was Andre's turn to speak. "Doctor John Hall was the head of the Biological and Chemical Weapons Division of the DSD until ESUN dissolved it. He was the scientist who formed Toxin X and only he had access to the samples."

The weight of the situation was becoming heavier to carry for Commander Une. The pieces of the puzzle were coming together. "John Hall is one of our suspects for the attempted kidnapping on Miss Relena Darlian."

Everybody in the group gasped and exchanged murmured comments. "Miss Darlian was almost kidnapped?" West asked Une.

Une didn't mean to ignore his question, but she was more concerned on their newfound information. "Heero received information that John Hall is somehow connected to whoever tried to have Relena kidnapped. This means that he is connected to the attempt on Quatre as well."

"And he's the only one who has access to this toxin strain," Sally added.

Une was nodding; the big break on their case has set her on edge again. "He's our guy. And we need to catch him."

* * *

><p>It was only a few minutes in Heero's probing of John Hall's background when he received a call from Commander Une. The voice from the other line was tense and it didn't take long for Heero to become on edge himself when Une mentioned John Hall and his connection to the toxin that killed the ESUN officials.<p>

He found his comrades looking at him expectantly after he ended the call; although they already had an inkling based on Heero's exchange with Une, they wanted him to clarify everything. "The toxin found in the victims is the same toxin produced by a scientist named John Hall… the same man who we suspect is the mastermind on Relena's kidnapping attempt and the attempt on Quatre as well," he explained patiently as he wrote and connected the dots on their detailed whiteboard.

"Now the question is why he's doing this," said Quatre.

Heero shook his head. "I don't care about that right now. All I care about is finding this guy."

"Do we know what he looks like?"

Before Heero could answer Trowa's question, there was a loud knock and all five saw Zechs and Noin outside the command center, looking impressed at the quality of the workroom. Duo opened the door and grinned at their awed expressions. "I know, I had the same reaction."

"We've never been here before," Noin said as she and Zechs stepped in. The door closed with a slight hiss before locking automatically.

"Want to tell us why we had to cancel our shuttle back to Mars?" Zechs directed his question to Heero.

"We have a lead on who planned Relena's kidnapping," Heero said. Zechs tensed in quiet anticipation. "Une just contacted us not too long ago. It turns out that he's the same man who poisoned the ESUN officials."

"Is he the redhead that tried to poison Quatre's tea?" inquired Noin.

Quatre shook his head no. "But he has a connection with John Hall."

"His name is Stephen Holt," Trowa postulated. "He used to work for John Hall."

"So what's the plan now that the pieces are coming together?" It was Duo's turn to ask a question.

Wufei held up a hand. "We have to wait until Commander Une and Sally get back from Luxembourg. As such, we still don't know where to find John Hall."

"I wouldn't say that," Heero spoke as his computer monitor beeped and a GPS tracker slowly zoomed in at a house a few miles to where Preventers Headquarters was located. "He's home."

* * *

><p>It had taken nearly everybody in the room to persuade both Heero and Zechs to wait for Une and Sally's return from Luxembourg to plan a course of action to detain John Hall. It was apparent to everyone in the room the main motive for their want of immediate action.<p>

"Commander Une and Sally will not be returning until tomorrow morning," informed Wufei. "They are in talks with the head scientist in Luxembourg to create some kind of antidote for the toxin, in case more of those red envelopes were opened."

Zechs was pacing the room. "What did those envelopes contain anyway?"

"Invitations to the Mars Opening Ceremony," replied Duo. Zechs still looked apprehensive, so Duo continued, "We've already contacted every official who received such letter. They were immediately confiscated by our agents. Those who have already opened the envelopes are under medical observation for 24 hours."

Heero stood rigid. "Relena never received a red envelope."

Duo raised an eyebrow. "You sure?"

"Maybe she didn't receive one because she was going to be poisoned some other way? Maybe that's the reason why they wanted to kidnap her," Zechs surmised. He continued pacing, slowly absorbing every information he was told earlier and every information that they are currently discussing. It seemed that the more information they received, the more questions followed.

"That's the question, isn't it? Why Relena? Why attack her differently if the other three attacks were successful?" Heero's voice was monotone, but internally, he was frustrated. They had too many questions and not enough answers.

"The manner on how they wanted to poison Quatre was different as well," Trowa reminded them.

"And why a Preventer agent?" added Duo. A collection of frustrated sighs and groans came from some of the members in the group.

Heero's muscle jaws clenched. "That's why we have to detain John Hall while we have the chance."

"We have to wait for Commander Une come back and give orders," reiterated Wufei. "We need a plan."

"The plan is to catch Hall and question him," Zechs said through gritted teeth.

Duo was exasperated. "Are you two seriously going to start this argument again?"

"We have deduced that John Hall has people working for him," said Noin in an attempt to persuade Heero and Zechs to wait. "We know Agent Greene is compromised and is working with the same man who tried to poison Quatre. They must be working for John Hall. In that case, we have to plan a course of action that anticipates their moves as well."

While Quatre was pleading for Heero and Zechs to calm down, a thought struck Wufei and he felt utterly foolish and stupid for forgetting another piece of information. He couldn't believe himself and how he's forgotten such valuable information. "We can interrogate Ben Anderson while we wait for Une and Sally," Wufei finally said.

His idea was dampened however, when Duo informed them Ben Anderson was still in the hospital in the same unconscious state. "Are you sure you didn't drug him or something?" he jokingly pointed at Heero.

"Then all we can do is wait," Quatre voiced out. "I'm sure Commander Une and Sally will have more information to tell us when they return tomorrow. Let's hope that the results they get will help us find more answers."

* * *

><p>[ DECEMBER 6, AC 199 ]<p>

With Une and Sally not returning to Preventers HQ until the next morning, the rest of the team decided to stay the night in the control room, taking shifts so half the group was resting while the other half was keeping tabs on the whereabouts of John Hall.

Heero had easily tracked John Hall's location through the scientist's computer, which was suspiciously active as if the scientist was using it the moment Heero started tracing him. That piece of information had surprised all of them. For someone should be hiding from them, the scientist had popped up in their radar all of a sudden. But no matter, it would make things easier for them to detain their prime suspect.

Heero had kept his promise and picked up Relena from her home in Brussels to bring her to the control center. Seeing her with her hair in a short, loose braid and adjusting her dark blue coat before occupying the passenger seat, Heero thought to himself that he she looked nicer in simpler and casual clothing than her multi-layered business outfits. Heero almost shook his head for having such thoughts – why was he focusing on how nice she looked more than how she was feeling right now? And by the looks of it, Relena looked restless.

Her hands were folded on her lap again, a mannerism Heero noticed she often did when she was anxious, nervous, or lost in thought. One of his hands on the steering wheel twitched to hold her hand and comfort her again like he did last time, but Heero controlled the urge. There will be time for that later.

"Are there any updates in the investigation?" she asked, looking out the window.

"It appears John Hall was involved in the deaths of… your former colleagues," replied Heero. "Since he's connected to your kidnapping and the deaths, he's our prime suspect."

Relena was silent as she and Heero made their way to the Preventers building and all the way to the basement where the control center was located. If she was surprised by the room's existence, she didn't show. Her gloomy countenance worried Heero. What was wrong with her?

Heero gently grabbed her shoulders and made her look at him. "Maybe it wasn't a good idea to bring you here after all."

She shook her head. "No, I want to be here, Heero. I'm just… I'm worried. ESUN has been compromised on top of this new threat. I don't want any more people getting hurt."

"That's why you're here, to help however you can," reassured Heero. He glanced to his right and saw Zechs gazing at them from inside the room. At his inquisitive gaze, Heero gave a curt nod to indicate that he's handling things.

Heero looked back at Relena. "You're exhausted and this whole thing is affecting you and your health; you have got to stop doing that." He squeezed her shoulders. "That's why we work as a team; share the load."

For the first time that day, Relena's features relaxed and she managed a small smile. "I'm being silly."

Heero ushered her in the room. "No, your emotions are just getting the best of you."

Although most were sleep-deprived, the whole team was awake and awaiting Une and Sally's arrival. Relena gave Heero a soft smile before walking to the whiteboard, examining the details thoughtfully.

Now, Heero and the rest of the group knew Relena had minimal experience when it came to investigations, but the moment she took a marker and scribbled on the board with a determined look on her face, Heero made a mental note to never underestimate Relena – the girl never fails to surprise him with her hidden talents. While she sometimes becomes emotionally overwhelmed, Relena had the capability to bring herself back up and instead channel her emotions in a more positive way; it clearly showed with the way she gracefully and perfectly handled her demanding life as VFM. She had always been strong that way.

"What are we looking at?" asked Noin, reading Relena's neat handwriting.

With a look of confidence and resolve, Relena pointed at the words _PRIME SUSPECT: JOHN HALL _on the board. "We know he's the prime suspect and we know what he's done, but we haven't figured out _why_ he did all those things," she started.

"That's correct," said Trowa.

Relena pointed at Arthur Brown's name and drew a line that connected his name to Relena's on the board. "Arthur helped me write the early drafts of the Universal Disarmament Edict." She then drew a line from Rosemary Glass's name to her name. "Rosemary, who was just a colony representative while I was still VFM, helped me with the final drafts. And," Relena continued, doing the same thing with Grace Pruitt's name, "Grace was one of the biggest supporters of the Edict. She helped pass the law."

She looked thoughtfully at Quatre. "Quatre was also one of my best supporters from the colonies." She faced the board, circling her name. "I was the main author of the Edict."

"You all were targeted because each of you had a hand on the passing of the Disarmament Edict," concluded Heero. Heero wasn't the type to openly express his emotions all the time, but he looked at Relena and she saw pride and admiration. She looked at her brother, seeing the same expression on his face.

"And John Hall was one of the people greatly affected when the law passed," noted Duo.

"You sure you don't want to join Preventers?" Noin said, giving Relena a wide smile.

Too focused from listening to Relena, most of the group didn't notice Une and Sally's arrival until the Preventers Commander commented, "The investigation makes more sense."

"We received the results from the Quatre's vial. It had what was identified as the same toxin used to kill our ESUN officials and Preventer Lewis," said Sally. She placed the results on a desk.

"That doesn't explain how Agent Lewis is connected in this case," Wufei stated.

"The red envelope was meant for me," answered Une. "I am the head of Preventers and we all know that our organization gave its full support to Miss Relena's disarmament law."

"Everything makes sense now," said Zechs. "The only thing we have to do now is arrest John Hall and all of his accomplices."

Une's decisiveness proved why she was head of the Preventers organization. With a determined nod, she already had a plan in mind. "Zechs, I want you, Heero, and Wufei to track down John Hall and arrest him. You three _must_ be careful; the toxin is airborne so I want you three to wear protective gear… just in case.

"Sally, Duo, and Noin will set up post outside the location for backup. I will be staying here with Miss Relena, Quatre, and Trowa to help with communication and updates. Is that clear?"

Everybody nodded. "Good. No time to waste," stated Une.

* * *

><p>It didn't take long for Heero, Zechs, and Wufei to gear up for their mission. To Wufei's mild amusement, it was a sight to see Heero and Zechs in the same room, working for the same purpose and not getting on each others' nerves.<p>

While the three of them scaled the house that was purportedly the current location of John Hall, Wufei realized that this was the first time in a very long time that he was working with Heero and the first time that he was working with Zechs, the former Lightning Count and one of OZ's best soldiers. Even though Wufei and Zechs were Preventers, there weren't any circumstances that required the two of them to be working in the same mission, especially since Zechs was in Mars. Wufei smirked to himself; for what it's worth, it was a good feeling to work with competent and trustworthy people like them.

Wufei knocked on the door but no answers came from the inside. After a few more minutes of knocking and giving a warning, Wufei motioned for Heero to kick the door open. All three men simultaneously cleared every room in the house until they all ended up outside a closed door – the last room they had to clear.

Zechs braced himself and kicked the locked door, immediately pointing his pistol to the right while Heero took the left. Wufei was about to walk forward when the sight in front of them stopped him mid-step. His two comrades lowered their weapons, a horrified look on their faces.

"Dear God…" muttered Zechs from inside his protective mask.

Wufei picked up his radio, watching as Heero holstered his gun and carefully approached the scene in front of them. "Preventer Water, this is Preventer Chang. Request for immediate backup."

Sally was immediately on the line. _"Preventer Chang, this is Preventer Water. What's the situation?"_

"Sally, we need our CSIs in here now." The almost horrified voice of Wufei had Sally make eye contact with Noin and Duo. She saw their agitated looks and knew that she was wearing the same expression.

Despite feeling apprehensive, Sally's voice was firm when she repeated her question to Wufei. "Wufei, what's the situation in there?"

"We just found John Hall dead on his desk."

* * *

><p>(1) Oesling or Osling is a region located in Luxembourg. It is characterized by hills and deciduous forests, and is sparsely populated. Source: Wikipedia.<p>

A/N: I turn to mush every time I write 1xR. Thank you for all the reviews, comments, and follows. It is deeply appreciated :)

Yours truly, HG


	6. Chapter VI: John Hall's History

**Chasing Time  
><strong>by heaven'sgirl

Standard disclaimer applies. Any names used in this story (that are not in the canon GW timeline) are fictional; they were randomly chosen for the purpose of this fanfiction.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter VI: John Hall's History<strong>

[ DECEMBER 6, AC 199 ]

It didn't take long for Preventer backup agents and a team of crime scene investigators to arrive at John Hall's location. While Heero, Wufei, and Zechs stayed within the premises of the house, Noin, Sally, and Duo entered the house with protective gear as they followed the CSIs in the room.

"He poisoned himself," stated Zechs as the others entered the room. The body of John Hall was slumped forward on his desk chair; a whole box of vials similar to the one that was meant for Quatre was located on his desk. The doctor's laptop was also on the table, the screen showing a blueprint of what appeared to be the laboratory in Luxembourg.

"With Toxin X?" asked Sally. Zechs, Heero, and Wufei nodded simultaneously.

"Maybe he knew that we were onto him," Duo concluded. "It was the end of the line, so poisoning himself was the best way out."

The six of them exited the room to give more space for the crime scene investigators. Walking to their van, the group removed their protective gear while Noin contacted the others back at HQ to give them the update.

Back at control center, Une, Relena, Trowa, and Quatre were listening to Noin's information via speaker. "We found a box full of vials similar to the one that was used to try to poison Quatre. As per your request, the vials will be brought and secured in the laboratory in Luxembourg."

"Good. We'll shift the investigation on tracking down his accomplices, including Agent Greene," said Une.

"What about John Hall?"

"Preventers will run a full autopsy on him before we give him back to his family."

Relena looked at Une. "He has a family?"

"According to his profile, he has a wife but no children," answered Trowa.

Relena nodded. "I want to visit her."

Everybody looked at her in surprise. "What?"

"I want to visit his widow," Relena stated patiently. "Maybe she can help us understand more about her husband's state of mind. And we need to help her cope with her loss, despite her husband's wrongdoings."

"If you're set on doing this, then you'll have to bring some of us with you," said Quatre. "Some people do harmful things when they are very hurt."

"I'll inform Heero and Zechs to accompany you," Noin said from the other line.

"I'd appreciate that. Thank you, Noin."

Une ended the communication and gave them an exhausted smile. "I'm going to have a meeting with ESUN representatives at noon tomorrow to give them an update on this investigation. Then I want a short debrief with our team here, at 1400 hours."

"Finally, we've solved the case," Quatre said with a smile.

"All we have to do now is capture Greene, Stephen Holt, and the DSD mole," reminded Trowa.

"Yes. I'll be assigning Agent Rogers and his team to do that," Une said. "Our group needs a small bit of respite, don't you think?"

"If I may be so bold, Commander Une," started Trowa, "With ESUN compromised and Agent Greene working for John Hall, we might as well treat Preventers as compromised. We don't know who we can trust but each other. I would suggest some of us in the group track down Greene and the other accomplice."

Quatre agreed. "Trowa's right, Miss Une. You needn't worry about us. We agreed to help you and that's what we'll do."

Une smiled, raising her hands in mock surrender. "Can't argue with that."

* * *

><p>[ DECEMBER 7, AC 199 ]<p>

"You mean to tell us that someone who used to work for DSD is the main perpetrator of the murders?" exclaimed the ESUN President, Ian Vogel.

Une nodded. "John Hall, yes."

"What's his reason?"

"As a result of the Disarmament Edict, the DSD's chemical and biological weapons laboratories were shut down. John Hall was one of the main pioneers of that project and clearly did not support the outcome of the Edict. It's the most likely reason, sir."

Vogel put a hand on his chin. "Since that madman is out of the picture, what are the Preventers' next steps to avoid such issues?"

The look the President gave her made Une slightly uncomfortable. She felt like Vogel was just daring her to say something wrong that would embarrass not only her but her reputation and that of the Preventers. "I have the best people tracking down John Hall's accomplices, including the DSD spy."

"Yes, I do hope your team can successfully do that in a short time. I trust your judgment, Miss Une. I do hope you won't disappoint."

"Yes, sir."

"Which leads us to our next topic: preventative measures."

Une looked at the meeting agenda and saw nothing about the topic. "Sir?"

Vogel cleared his throat. "Not a week ago, my cabinet and I had a meeting regarding the DSD's ambition to expand their projects. As you may remember, the cabinet shut that idea down in favor of putting more funds to Miss Darlian's AH Project."

Une stiffened. A suspicion was already forming in her head. "Yes, I do remember that quite clearly."

"Due to the serious implications of your investigation, and the high probability that mass panic will occur once we release the details, I think it is best to bring up that idea again."

Her suspicions were correct. "You mean…?"

"That for the meantime, I think it is necessary to give the go signal and provide proper funding for the DSD's expansion project, for an indefinite time. We want to be a step ahead of any potential threats, especially those of the biological and chemical kinds."

Except for Une, every high-ranking representative in the room was murmuring in agreement, some even nodding their heads quite dramatically.

Une wasn't sure on how she should feel about the news. While she understood the decision to reorganize ESUN's preventive measures against weapons of various kinds, she knew that such a decision would greatly affect other projects dependent on ESUN funds.

Une became tense. The next words of the president seemed to fade as she became lost in her thoughts, slowly realizing which big project would surely be affected by this change of events.

* * *

><p>When Une returned from the ESUN office building (conveniently located across Preventers HQ), she found her team congregated in the conference room. The only one absent in the room was Relena, who was attending a scheduled briefing with the ESUN Treasury Department.<p>

"I hope you bring good news," stated Sally.

"Well, it depends on how you look at it," said Une.

Noin crossed her arms. "That's not very reassuring."

Une sighed. "The cabinet will be releasing the new details of our investigation to the public. Just imagine what the public's reaction will be."

"Pandemonium," replied Zechs.

"Yes, people will be afraid," continued Une. "The fact that the poison was delivered in such a subtle way will surely cause fear. It's possible that they will question the ESUN and Preventers' abilities to defend their people. The masses will want better protection. And it's because of that same possibility that ESUN has decided to expand the DSD by creating a new division under it that focuses on chemical and biological defenses."

"Bullshit," uttered Zechs. All eyes were on him. He gestured with his hand. "That's against the Disarmament Edict. The productions of weapons of any kind are prohibited."

"Zechs, this is for defensive purposes…" Quatre started, although he sounded unsure and suspicious as well.

"Are you implying that this defense project is really a weapons production?" asked Noin.

Heero caught on to what Zechs was trying to say. "The DSD is planning to reopen weapons manufacturing under the guise of an expanding defensive project."

"That's my theory," said Zechs.

"ESUN wouldn't allow that," Wufei tried to reassure them.

"Think about it: there is a mole in the DSD. This turn of events clearly benefited that department. Some people from the DSD have been pushing for this expansion for a very long time," Heero added.

"I do not have the power to overturn the cabinet's decision. It's done," stated Une. "Be on your guard. This investigation isn't over yet. There are still three people on the loose and they need to be taken into custody."

Duo winked and saluted Une. "We're already on it, Commander."

Une sat down at the table and gestured for the others to do the same. "Listen, I share Zechs's theory. We cannot let what we suspect be known to others outside this circle."

"She's right," declared Heero. "We have to be more vigilant. We cannot trust just anybody… not until this investigation is over."

"How will we know if the investigation is over?" asked Quatre, voicing out the concern of many in the room. "How will we know when everybody involved in this are finally in custody?"

"When there won't be any more people pushing for this so-called defense project once the ESUN stops supporting it," answered Heero.

The rest of the group – most of whom were slouched in exhaustion and unease – straightened their posture as they absorbed Heero's words.

Trowa spoke up. "So our next move is to find Greene, Holt, and the mole."

"Then somehow persuade the ESUN to stop financing this 'defense project' in order to out whoever else might be involved?" asked Duo.

Heero nodded. "That's the plan."

* * *

><p>"The successful completion of our affordable housing projects in Belgium, Spain, and the L1 and L2 colonies has encouraged our team to expand the AH Project. Our team has now focused its efforts on building affordable homes for the L3 colony and three more additional Earth nations – in Morocco, Brazil, and Japan.<p>

This upcoming project is estimated to take two and a half years to complete; the plan is for the housing to be completed by springtime of AC 202. We hope that the success of our initial projects has paved the way for expanding our mission of providing affordable homes for individuals and families who are in need of them."

Relena made eye contact with each representative of the ESUN Board of Treasury and the president's main cabinet, including the interim Vice President Kate Hess, whom Relena just met before the meeting started. Looking at her now, knowing that Grace Pruitt used to be in that position, made Relena's heart ache.

"Miss Relena, on behalf of the department and the whole ESUN, we are delighted and truly proud of your project's accomplishments. The AH Project has gone beyond our expectations and the people of Earth and the Colonies are receiving the help they deserve. We couldn't be more proud to have you as the head of this project," stated the smiling Matthew Price, the Secretary of ESUN Treasury Department.

Relena smiled in gratitude, but Price's change in demeanor from smiling to smug-looking told her he wasn't quite finished with his mini-speech. She felt her stomach churn in anticipation, but she remained silent.

"However, with the recent deaths of our fellow ESUN colleagues, and the revelation that they were poisoned by somebody who used to work for us, the Treasury Department has decided to reallocate the grants from the AH Project to the DSD's defense project. They have plans of reopening some of our laboratories to expand defensive research, such as finding an antidote for Toxin X. We cannot risk any more deaths when some of John Hall's accomplices are still on the loose."

Relena was in quiet shock. "You're reopening laboratories?"

"Yes, hence the reallocation of funds," explained Price in a slightly haughty tone, treating Relena like she was just a little girl. "Miss Darlian, think about it. The masses are in a panic right now because of these deaths… wouldn't you think that our priority right now is to maintain order and assure our people that we have the best defense against madmen like John Hall?"

"That is reasonable, but you must understand that the AH Project depends on these funds as well. If you remove them, we will have to halt all of our future projects. Many people are depending on these affordable homes. There must be something we could do to keep some funds to this project."

"Miss Darlian, the AH Project is _not_ our current priority."

Relena looked at the other representatives of the presidential candidate to try to appeal to the rest of them. "We cannot just abandon this project – too many people are depending on them. We must find a way to support both projects."

"Miss Darlian!" Matthew Price stood up, slamming his hands on the desk. "Must I remind you that you are no longer a high ranking ESUN official? We chose you to oversee and be the face of this project, but that does not mean you have all the power to decide where ESUN's funds go."

Interim VP Kate Hess held a hand to calm the Secretary. "Miss Darlian, rest assured that the AH Project will not be abandoned completely. But the ESUN cabinet, with the complete support of President Vogel, is prioritizing our defense project due to the latest events. We just released the details to the public and unfortunately, that has affected our organization's character."

Price was still standing up when he said the next words, "We have new enemies to fight, so we need to be more prepared. We need to be a step ahead of such despicable people."

Relena nodded slowly, still in disbelief from their decision and from Price's outburst about her position. She felt her throat tighten. "If that is what the board has decided, then I have no choice but to halt our projects."

The meeting ended on an unusually somber mood. Most of the meeting attendees purposely avoided making eye contact with Relena, except when they bade her farewell. Chris Marley (1), Relena's personal assistant and friend, approached Relena and placed a comforting hand on Relena's folded ones.

"Thank you for all your help, Chris," Relena said, gathering all of her documents.

"Chin up, Miss Relena," Chris said. "I'm sure we'll figure something out."

Relena gave her a small smile. "We will."

Relena stayed inside while everybody filed out of the room. Relena walked towards the windows and looked outside. So lost was she with her thoughts that she didn't notice another presence in the room until it was next to her.

Relena smiled wistfully, her eyes never leaving the view from the windows. "Hi, Heero."

"Everybody else left. We should get going, too." Heero followed her train of sight.

"The Treasury decided to halt the AH Project; their decision is completely supported by the presidential cabinet," she explained, her eyes following a flock of birds flying by. "Because of the current situation, they want to increase the funding for the DSD for their defensive projects"

"Une shared that information with the group. Vogel told her the cabinet's decision."

She looked at him then. "Heero, why are you still here?" At his silence, she continued, "John Hall is gone; there isn't any reason for you to stay here and protect me."

Before Heero could come up with an answer, his cell phone rang. "Yuy."

"_Heero, I've sent you the coordinates for Mrs. Hall's house. It's located in Anderlecht. Sally has already contacted Mrs. Hall to let her know about your visit."_

"We'll be on our way."

"_Sally gave her the details about John Hall's crimes. No need to overwhelm her with too many questions today."_

"Agreed."

"_You know how to contact us when anything happens."_

"Thanks, Duo." Heero then turned to Relena who left her spot from the windows, busy stuffing her papers in her satchel. She looked at him expectantly.

"This investigation isn't over yet," Heero replied to her earlier question. She smiled and nodded wordlessly, allowing Heero to lead her to his car.

The ride to their destination was a quiet one. While Relena busied herself reorganizing her paperwork, Heero was pondering his answer earlier. He was there to protect Relena while the investigation was still ongoing, but that was only part of the reason why he's staying.

Heero glanced at an unsuspecting Relena and felt a familiar emotion well up deep within his chest. It was a feeling he always had ever since Relena came into his life. He wasn't sure what to call it, but it didn't matter because the feeling never bothered him. He felt a sense of purpose when he was by her side – a fact that he has kept only to himself.

He felt foolish for not being more forward with her; he wasn't raised to be emotionally straightforward and he was definitely not raised to let emotions overrule his logic…

"_**The only way to live a good life is to act on your emotions."**_

The words echoed in his head. It was the same words that his mentor Odin had given him and the same words Heero himself gave to Trowa. Heero knew these words were true. If he hadn't followed those words, who knew how different his life would be like…

"_**I think it's time for you to figure out how you want her to be in your life, and you in hers."**_

Heero spared a glance at Relena again and managed a small smile. When the time was right, Heero would tell her the whole truth.

* * *

><p>Right after the meeting with their group that morning, Une, Sally, and Wufei were in an escorted vehicle on their way to the home of scientist Samuel West in the town of Wiltz (2), a two-hour drive from Brussels.<p>

Une was ordered by President Vogel to pick up West from his home and escort him back to the ESUN building in Brussels that same day for the official announcement of his appointment that was scheduled to be broadcasted that afternoon. Already the head of the Luxembourg laboratory, the ESUN cabinet found it fitting that Samuel West be chosen as the head pioneer of the DSD's newest endeavor.

Sally watched Une lower her head in thought, absentmindedly tapping on the sealed envelope that contained the documents. "It's interesting how quickly things turned out," commented Sally. "Within 24 hours, the ESUN cabinet already had a plan after the results of our investigation."

"It only confirms what Dorothy Catalonia told Heero and Relena," said Wufei. "The DSD mole is playing a big role in this investigation – he has a lot of influence in the DSD _and_ the ESUN cabinet. Whatever his plan is, it's working."

Une suddenly raised her head. "What if John Hall _wasn't_ the mastermind? What if the DSD mole is the one playing the role of puppet master?"

"Then we're still in a lot of trouble," whispered Sally.

Wufei was frustrated, and for good reason. "I do not like how this whole thing has turned out. John Hall is dead, two accomplices are on the loose, and another is our unidentified mole."

When they arrived at West's residence, the three companions were greeted by a middle-aged woman with auburn hair and kind, green eyes. For someone who came from an affluent family, she was dressed in modest and simple clothes. She introduced herself as Mary West, Samuel's wife.

"My husband is running a bit late from the laboratory, I'm afraid," she explained, ushering them to a quaint living room that had a large window overlooking a colorful garden. The three guests noticed that Mary's hands were shaking as she slowly carried a tray of tea cups; Wufei offered to carry the tray for her.

Mary shyly sat down across from them and massaged her still-trembling hands. She felt the need to explain her situation to her guests. "A few years ago, I had a brain injury after a terrible highway accident. It's affected my motor skills, but they've improved after a few years."

"And she has improved," a new voice spoke behind Une, Sally, and Wufei. Samuel West was shrugging off his jacket, smiling at his house guests as he sat next to his wife, giving her a kiss on the temple. "Tending the garden seemed to help."

West then turned his attention to Une. "I'm guessing you'll be my escort today?"

"Yes," replied Une. "The announcement is scheduled to be at 1500 hours today at the ESUN building in Brussels."

West let out a nervous chuckle. "Wow, it's all happening so fast…"

Within a half hour, West, Une, Sally and Wufei were already on their way back to Brussels. Une made eye contact with their VIP. "Dr. West, there was another reason why we came to your residence today."

West looked her, his whole demeanor showing he was intent on listening. Une took that as her cue and continued, "We want to ask what your affiliation was with the late Dr. John Hall."

A sad look crossed West's features as he began his explanation. "John was my mentor for many years. He was a great teacher and an even better scientist. Science and research were his passions; he lived and breathed them."

"Did you notice any signs that alarmed you to his later strange behaviors?" asked Sally.

"John has always been an odd individual, but he wasn't unkind. He was the one who helped me pay off my wife's treatments after her accident – I was penniless back then. He treated me and Mary as his own children for he did not have any of his own."

Wufei, who had taken out a recorder when West started telling his story, narrowed his eyes at West. "Tell us more about Toxin X."

"Toxin X was John's biggest research project. John had always wanted to be a step ahead – to prevent things before they even happened." West paused, looking out the tinted windows. "Toxin X was a chemical he _invented_, believing that it could be used as a powerful deterrent. He presented it to the ESUN, but by then, Miss Darlian's Disarmament Edict was passed. As we all know, that disallowed weapons of mass destruction that included chemical agents. So, John's Toxin X was seen as a weapon and not for defensive purposes.

"John became more aloof after that. He spent most of his time in his office and laboratories and even went without sleep for a number of days. He became withdrawn – he avoided me and his closest colleagues. Not long after that, he had quit his position as head of the Luxembourg laboratory and quit his ties with his work. I haven't seen him since.

"And now we're back to the time when Dr. Hall was still scientist and the defense project was still a big deal," West concluded. "I do not condone what John did to your friends, but in a way, he proved to us that he was right. If we were more open to the potential of his defense project, we would have been able to save the victims."

Wufei's anger was rising. "I don't think we would have been able to save them. There were no warnings – not until the last few minutes when the symptoms manifested. You're wrong, Mr. West."

Sally placed a hand on Wufei's shoulder, trying to calm the young man. West, realizing Wufei's point, slouched in his posture, feeling embarrassed. "I… I'm sorry. You're right. There is nothing that can justify what John did."

"No, there isn't," agreed Une.

"I promise you, my friends, that I will not repeat John's mistake," West stated, smiling at them. "I'm here to help the Earth Sphere maintain the peace and security for the people."

* * *

><p>"Any news on Ben Anderson and his condition?" Relena asked as Heero took a left turn. They were less than 5 minutes away to their destination.<p>

Heero glanced at his GPS and accelerated the car. "Your brother and Noin received news that he's woken up not too long ago. They're prepping a security detail to escort him to Preventers HQ for questioning."

Relena nodded in understanding. "I hope he can help us find Holt and Agent Greene."

"Relena, there is no need to call him 'agent' anymore. His actions against you proved he's no real Preventer."

"Heero, I don't believe he's truly evil. He's been in my security detail for two years and has even taken a bullet for me in one occasion. Maybe… just maybe… he's doing this because he was forced to and not really because he wants to hurt me," reasoned Relena.

Heero fought back the urge to smile as he absorbed Relena's kind words. It was one of the many reasons why Heero believed her to be a much better person than many people, including himself. She exhibited the strength to try to see the good in people. Relena had the enormous capacity to forgive and give second chances. Heero witnessed that when Relena forgave her assistant Chris (3) when she was revealed to have been a part of the scheme to kidnap Relena. Relena's kindness did not discriminate.

"It's possible," Heero finally said as he parked their car in front of Mrs. Hall's house. "But that doesn't mean we won't let him off easily."

"I understand," Relena said, putting on her coat.

The two of them were greeted by a pair of Preventer agents who were assigned to secure the Hall residence. When they walked in the house, John Hall's widow was already waiting for them in the seating area, a melancholy look on her face.

"Mrs. Hall, I'm truly sorry for your loss," said Relena, approaching the widow and covering the woman's hands with her own. Relena and Mrs. Hall sat on one of the couches together, Relena's hands never leaving the older woman's.

"Call me Linda," Hall's wife said. She gazed at Heero who remained standing near the doorway. Relena motioned for him to sit across from them.

"It's not true what they're saying about my husband," Linda blurted out. "My husband may have been 'strange' in many people's standards, but he is not an evil man like your Preventer colleagues make him out."

"Ma'am, we believe he is connected to the deaths of three ESUN officials and a Preventer agent," explained Heero, looking at Relena and silently asking her if he was saying the right thing. At her small nod, Heero continued, "We also have reason to suspect that he's involved in the attempted kidnapping on Relena."

Linda's eyes were wide as saucers as she stared at Relena, searching her eyes for her confirmation. At Relena's hurt look and slow nod, Linda shook her head violently. "No, that cannot be right."

"Ma'am, we understand that you're-" Heero started, but the older woman cut him off with a point of her finger.

Linda raised her voice. "Whatever they're telling you, they're wrong!"

"Linda, please tell us what we don't know," a calm Relena told her, urging the other woman to return to her seat.

"He's not a villain," Linda said.

"His history as researcher for the DSD and some of his works that were questioned by the ESUN are plausible reasons for his motives," Heero carried on with his explanation.

"No, he's being framed," stated Linda. "Someone used him as their scapegoat. My husband is many things, but he's not a murderer. He became a scientist because he wanted to help people and keep the peace, not cause chaos and panic."

Relena and Heero looked at each other, both knowing what the other is thinking. The anguish and desperation in her words were enough to tell them she was not lying.

"Linda, please help us understand," pleaded Relena, the hysterical woman seating next to her was making her worry.

"If you believe that your husband was framed, then help us prove that," Heero added. If what Hall's wife was saying is true, then they desperately needed to get to the bottom of this investigation full of unexpected twists and turns.

"He called me a few days ago, before you found him on his desk," Linda answered, her voice lowering and becoming calmer now that her guests weren't pressing on the belief that her husband was a lunatic and a conspiring murderer. "He hasn't been going home for a while because he thought somebody was following him."

"When did this start?" asked Heero.

"A few weeks ago, when he tried to get a hold of someone he knew from ESUN."

"Do you know who that might be?"

"Webb. Dennis Webb."

Heero didn't want to bombard the obviously emotionally-unstable woman too many questions, but he had a gut feeling that they were running out of time. "Did John say why he needed to contact Webb?"

"Webb was a big supporter of John when he was working for the DSD," replied Linda. "John wanted to give him a warning."

Two loud thuds shook the room they were in. On instinct, Heero rushed to Relena's side and used his body to shield Relena and Linda as a worried but composed Relena spoke in hushed tones to calm the panic-stricken woman. All three of them looked at the closed front doors where the source of the noise came from.

In an instant, Heero locked the door and peered in the curtain-covered windows to see both Preventer agents down – unconscious but alive. He returned to his protective stance in front of the two women.

Heero grabbed his radio and contacted Duo, Trowa, and Quatre who were stationed in the underground command center. "We need backup, now."

"_On our way."_

Heero scanned the room for any potential escape routes. Fortunately, the Hall's living room windows were mostly concealed by dark-colored curtains. Signaling the women to stay quiet, Heero pointed at the doorway behind them, which Heero correctly surmised as a hallway that led to the kitchen.

He realized a little too late that the moment they stepped into the hallway, a large window exposed them to their unseen attacker. In the blink of an eye, the unmistakable red laser dot from a firearm pointed to their direction.

A bullet made its way to Linda Hall's heart.

* * *

><p>Notes:<br>(1) Chris from Blind Target; I didn't want to make _too_ many new characters so I gave someone who is familiar to many GW followers the role as Relena's personal assistant / secretary.  
>(2) Wiltz: a town in the Oesling region of Luxembourg<br>(3) A scene from GW: Blind Target manga.

A/N: We're halfway to the end!  
>- I've made a few corrections  additions to previous chapters, such as including dates!  
>- Ian Vogel is a different president than the one we saw at Endless Waltz. For the purpose of my story (and possible sequels), one term for an ESUN president is 4. So within our story, Vogel has been president starting Fall of AC 199 (his predecessor served from Fall, AC 195 – Fall, AC 199).<p>

Special thanks to: Cyn Finnegan, Shiny Wurmple, Squeakin, Chell, Grey02, Lady-Rinoa14, Princess Mko, Kasugano Midori-chan, Evageliman, Pynka, dootadoot, Yumi90, justwildbeat-rhythmemotion, aliamaxwellgw87, and all the guests who left reviews! You all rock!

Please stay tuned for **Chapter 7: Ambush**.

Yours truly, HG


	7. Chapter VII: Ambush

**Chasing Time**  
>by heaven'sgirl<p>

Standard disclaimer applies. Any names used in this story (that are not in the canon GW timeline) are fictional; they were randomly chosen for the purpose of this fanfiction.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter VII: Ambush<strong>

[ December 7, AC 199 ]  
>[ Location: Hall's Residence, Anderlecht ]<p>

For Relena, time seemed to slow down. She heard Heero call out her name but her eyes were glued to the scene happening before her. As soon as the three of them stepped into the hallway, she saw Linda clutch her chest before falling on the floor. Relena immediately dropped on the floor as Heero crouched down next to her.

"Heero, we need to get her to a doctor now," Relena said firmly, crawling on all fours towards Linda Hall, who was hunched over. "Linda?"

The older woman turned to her, her face pale and her cream-colored blouse soaking in red liquid. Relena's eyes widened, her hand reaching out to Linda's hands that covered her chest. Heero helped Relena move Hall's widow to the kitchen and made sure all three of them were low enough to not to be easily spotted by their attacker.

Linda's breathing became gasps for air. Her eyes were wide and focused on Relena, who cradled the woman on her lap with tears in her eyes. "Linda…"

To Heero and Relena's surprise, the usually-hysterical woman looked calm even though her breathing was becoming more painful. "You must believe me… my husband… John… he's no murderer…"

"Linda…" Relena said, her voice shaking slightly. She wasn't completely certain if the woman was being honest, but a part of Relena refused to believe that this woman wasn't telling the truth.

Heero grabbed his radio; his firm grip almost broke the device in half. "Duo, what's your ETA?"

There was a tense silence until they heard Trowa's voice from the other end. The growing static from their connection made his answers muddled, _"ETA unknown… Ambulance exploded… In pursuit…"_

Heero's voice lost its usual calm. "What?!"

* * *

><p>[ Location: Outside Preventers HQ, Brussels ]<p>

Duo and Trowa decided to wait in a Preventers-issued car in case of an emergency; Quatre opted to stay in HQ to coordinate communication since their group was divided to cover the multitude of tasks they had to tackle that day. As soon as Heero asked for backup, Duo stepped on the gas while Trowa radioed for an ambulance to follow them to Heero and Relena's location.

Duo made an annoyed pout. "Man, could this day get any worse?"

A deafening sound caused Duo to step on the break as he and Trowa witnessed the ambulance reduced to rubble behind them.

"It just did," Trowa said quietly as Duo continued to stare at the explosion in disbelief. From the corner of his eye, Trowa saw a figure inside a brown sedan lift a shiny object and pointed it in their direction.

"Duo, get down!" Trowa shouted as the figure started showering their cars with bullets. On instinct, both men ducked but felt immediately grateful when they realized that their car was bulletproofed. After what seemed like a hundred bullets pummeling their car, they saw the car speed away.

"That was Greene," commented Duo as he narrowed his eyes to the retreating car.

Since Duo was a Preventer and was therefore licensed to carry and use a gun, he took his firearm from his holster and exchanged a look with Trowa. In quiet understanding, the tall man skillfully exchanged seat positions with Duo. As Trowa accelerated their car to catch up to their attacker, Duo quietly stared at the weapon on his hand.

Duo's grip on his gun tightened – not from anger, but from hesitation. So far in his tenure with the Preventers, he never had to use his gun. There were a few close calls where his gun was the only thing he could use to defend himself, but Duo never had to pull the trigger on another human being. But now… should now be any different? Could they catch the guy without him having to use his gun? His life and his comrade's life were threatened; shouldn't that be a good excuse for him to finally put the gun into good use?

Duo closed his eyes and exhaled loudly. Trowa's voice helped bring him back to reality. "You don't have to shoot him, Duo."

"Let's hope it won't come to that, Trowa."

Duo rolled down his window and aimed the gun at the car in front of them.

* * *

><p>[ Location: ESUN Building, Brussels ]<p>

Something felt wrong.

As a former Gundam pilot, Wufei had the natural instinct when something bad was going to happen. He cannot explain how he sensed such things, but he knew from experience that he was almost always right. He felt unusually agitated as he stood guard near the doors with Sally and a squad of Preventers.

Inside one of ESUN's conference rooms, the official signing of Samuel West's contract as head of the defense program was taking place. He was surrounded by the DSD's top officials, the ESUN Secretary of Defense Matthew Price, and Commander Une as the Preventer's representative. They were also joined by a few select media outlets that would be broadcasting the ceremony to the Earth and the Colonies.

Wufei scanned the room and noticed the lights flickered so quickly that a person would miss it in a blink. He glanced at Sally who didn't seem to notice the change. Wufei felt that he's becoming too paranoid lately and that he was just noticing something that would be considered trivial. But the feeling of dread was still there and it set him on edge.

His thoughts were interrupted when people applauded as Dr. West shook hands with each individual DSD representative as the service was coming to an end.

He heard Sally through his earpiece. "Get ready to move."

Wufei started to make his way to West's side when he suddenly found himself knocked a few feet from a sudden blast in the room. A ringing echoed in his ears and his vision blurred. He instinctively reached for his gun and - despite his temporary blindness – ran towards the section of the room where he heard screams. He caught Sally's voice among them and made his way towards her.

"Sally!" Wufei called out, his voice hoarse from inhaling too much smoke. He blinked rapidly and growled in frustration when his vision didn't improve.

Wufei heard Sally call out to him and followed her voice until he felt his partner took hold of his elbow, pushing him out the door as his vision slowly cleared. Sally's whole body trembled as she coughed heavily, her face covered in soot. There were also small gashes on her forehead and neck.

"Where's Une and West?" she asked in a loud voice as the screams continued around them. Outside the broken windows, numerous sirens could be heard while Preventer members scrambled in and out of the room as they started the evacuation.

Wufei and Sally instantly ran back inside and found their commander cradling what looked like a sprained left shoulder. Despite her obvious pain, she was the one who started barking orders for her agents to start the evacuation process as the fire within the room crackled loudly and started spreading to adjacent rooms.

Une made a quick sweep of the room to make sure it was cleared before she ran out of the room, followed closely by Wufei and Sally. A group of firefighters ran past them to put out the fire while the three of them were immediately surrounded by paramedics as they reached the ground floor. All occupants that were with them in the conference room suffered from minor burns and non-threatening lacerations from flying shrapnel, but there were no casualties.

Near Une's left, West was having his forehead wrapped with a bandage. She was about to ask how the doctor was feeling when one of her agents approached her with a Preventer-issued mobile phone.

"It's Mr. Winner, ma'am," informed the agent.

Une nodded as the agent walked away. "I hope you have good news, Quatre."

Quatre's voice was tense. _"I'm afraid that is not the case, Commander Une. Heero and Relena were ambushed at Mrs. Hall's home."_

"What?!"

"_Duo and Trowa were on their way with a medical team, but the ambulance exploded. It was Agent Greene's doing…"_

"Are Heero and Relena safe?"

"_I'm having trouble contacting Heero, so their current status is unknown. I've sent Agent Rogers and his team to their location while Duo and Trowa are in pursuit of Agent Greene."_

"And Zechs and Noin?"

"_They just arrived at the Saint-Michel Hospital to escort Ben Anderson to HQ for the interrogation. The hospital has guaranteed that there is a guard on stand-by right outside his room until the team arrives."_

Une lowered her face on her hand. "Keep me posted, Quatre."

"_Yes, Commander._"

Wufei and Sally were on either side of Une as they listened in on her conversation with Quatre. Wufei was shaking his head, his temper flaring at the sudden turn of events.

Sally placed a hand on his shoulder while she addressed Une. "It seems that our enemies are a step or two ahead of us."

* * *

><p>[ Location: Saint-Michel Hospital, Brussels ]<p>

Zechs and Noin were tasked to escort Ben Anderson to the Preventers Headquarters for questioning. The man who took part in the attempted kidnapping on Relena was finally conscious and was in a good enough condition to be transported to the interrogation room.

If it wasn't for the seriousness of the situation, Noin would've laughed at the slightly smug look of Zechs, who would be one of the main interrogators once they made it to HQ. Zechs was fiercely protective of his sister, so it was no surprise that he would want to be one of the people involved to question one of her kidnappers.

As the two of them – together with a squad of Preventer agents – approached Anderson's room, a gunshot echoed throughout the hall. In an instant, the Preventers team sprinted to Anderson's room and saw a man donning a nurse's outfit take down the Preventer agent stationed to guard Anderson with a shot in the leg.

The fake nurse whipped around and Zechs and Noin immediately recognized him as Stephen Holt. With a small smirk, the red-head bolted with an irate Zechs hot on his heels. Noin shouted some orders to the rest of the Preventers before taking off after Zechs. She was not about to let Zechs pursue Holt by himself, especially since the man capable of inflicting damage on anybody.

As Noin maneuvered her way in the busy hallway, she was ordering the hospital staff to take cover as Holt fired a few rounds at Zechs and Noin. The bullets missed their targets and ricocheted off the walls, eliciting screams of terror from hospital staff and patients alike. One of the nurses pressed a button that automatically closed and locked every patient's rooms in case the gun-wielding man had the audacity to use innocent people as hostage or body shield.

"He's going to escape through the emergency doors!" Zechs exclaimed. He fired a shot that hit Holt on his leg, but surprisingly, the young man kept running albeit with a limp.

Holt pushed his way amongst the throng of people scrambling for cover. He exited the emergency doors and ran near the sidewalk, where more people were running in every direction as they heard the gunshots from within the hospital. Spotting something from the distance, Holt ran in the middle of the street just as Zechs came out of the doors not far behind him.

The former Lightning Count didn't see the second gun pointed at him.

* * *

><p>Two of Duo's bullets shattered the rear window of Greene's sedan. The former Preventer agent returned fire, forcing Trowa to swerve right and Duo to tumble back on his seat.<p>

"Where do you think he's leading us?!" Duo asked his comrade as they instantly caught up with Greene's car.

Trowa took a quick glance at their car's GPS. "I think he's on his way to the hospital where Anderson is."

"What the hell?!"

"He's either going to take Anderson… or worse, kill the man."

"Zechs and Noin will be there."

"Then let's hope they're in a better situation than us."

Trowa stepped on the gas, the speedometer reaching almost 100 mph. In seconds, they were right behind Greene.

Duo pulled a red police beacon light from one of the car's compartments, placed it on the car's roof, and turned on the siren. "We have to do our best to limit collateral damage," Duo explained as other cars heeded their signal.

Trowa nodded wordlessly and accelerated, bumping hard against the back of Greene's car. Duo took that as his cue and accurately fired a bullet on each of Greene's rear tires, causing the tires to emit a cloud of smoke and a heavy smell of burning rubber.

Now at an advantage, Trowa pulled up so their car was side by side with Greene's. Greene steered right and slammed his car on his pursuers. Trowa kept a strong grip on the steering wheel as Duo leapt on the back seat to get a better angle on Greene.

Suddenly, Greene pulled an explosive and threw it at Trowa and Duo's car. However, because his own car was unstable, his aim was off and the grenade exploded a few feet behind the car and not within it as Greene had intended. Nevertheless, the impact sent the other car careening down the street until it hit a lamppost, with both passengers knocked unconscious from the blast.

With a triumphant smirk, Greene forced his car to go the final distance to the hospital. Not caring about other cars and pedestrians, he parked his damaged car on a sidewalk at the same time Holt runs out of the emergency doors, followed closely by Zechs Marquise with a gun aimed at the red-head. Greene took out his own gun and quickly fired a bullet that struck Zechs on his left side, causing him to hunch on the ground, clutching his wound. His partner, Noin, shot a few rounds at Greene but had to take cover when Holt returned fire.

After Holt's gun clicked as he fired the last bullet, he reached his motorcycle and waved wildly at Greene. The Preventer-turned-traitor joined him and the two leave the scene as people and emergency responders gathered where Trowa and Duo were in the near distance while Noin and a handful of nurses bring the injured Zechs in the emergency room.

* * *

><p>While Heero tried to make contact with Duo and Trowa again, Relena decided to use her scarf to put pressure on Linda's chest wound. She tried to ignore the red liquid that pooled around them as she heard the labored breathing of the woman in her arms.<p>

"Damn it," muttered Heero. He looked at Relena, who stared at him with desperation in her eyes. "I think Duo and Trowa are in trouble."

"What's going on?"

"The ambulance that was supposed to be here exploded," explained Heero, scooting closer to Relena as they both applied pressure on Linda's bleeding chest. "Duo and Trowa are in pursuit."

"Oh my God," Relena whispered.

Linda's breathing was coming out in short gasps as she continued trembling from pain. She was trying to say something to Relena, but instead she coughed out blood.

"Linda, please don't try to talk… you have to save your energy," pleaded Relena, placing a palm on the woman's forehead to soothe her.

"Don't… don't trust a man," Linda croaked, grabbing Relena by her coat so she can whisper to the younger woman, "Don't trust a man… whose time is running out for him."

"What do you mean?" Relena asked as she felt the hand on her coat slacken. Linda's trembling ceased and her head slightly tilted to her side. "Linda? No…"

A familiar feeling of anguish washed over Relena as she stayed kneeling next to Linda. It was similar to the feeling of grief she experience when she saw her father die right in front of her eyes when she was only fifteen years old.

Heero watched as Relena's eyes moistened and her hands balled into fists. His own features held an agonized look at his failure of protecting Relena and Linda, an innocent woman who knew about John Hall's history. She was one of the few leads in their investigation who could've helped them answer some of their questions… but now, she was gone.

Another bullet whizzed near where Relena was sitting. Instinctively, Heero pushed her on the floor and used his body to shield hers just in time for a barrage of bullets to shower the room they were in. Relena closed her eyes while Heero's arms covered her face as the windows shattered around them.

Relena heard a short grunt of pain from Heero but was not able to move since Heero held her firmly in place. The seemingly endless gunfire left a loud, hammering sound in her ears. After what felt like an eternity, the firing ended and Heero and Relena heard the screeching of tires as a car drove away.

They heard screams from outside the house, no doubt neighbors panicking from the scene that just happened. They also heard the familiar sound of sirens approach the scene.

Heero scanned the room before gazing outside through the broken windows. He took hold of Relena by the shoulders and helped her stand up. "Are you hurt?"

"No…" replied Relena in a low voice. She kneeled next to Linda's body and gently closed the elder woman's eyes as the tears started to spill down her cheeks. Relena stared at her bloodied hands.

Heero took hold of one of her arms. "Relena…"

She was still looking at her hands, marred by blood from trying to help Linda. Some parts of Relena's coat were also covered in blood. "How did they know we'll be here? Why did they have to kill her?"

The grip on her arm tightened. "Because they wanted to eliminate everybody that will get in the way of their plans. Linda had knowledge of her husband's whereabouts that could've led us to the location of his accomplices."

"But Heero… do you think she was telling the truth?"

"Maybe," Heero answered. "What did she tell you?"

Before Relena could reply, Preventer Agent Rogers and his team entered the premises, followed by some paramedics who ushered Relena and Heero out of the house. It was during that time that Relena noticed Heero's bleeding left arm.

"Heero, your arm!"

He glanced at his injury and gave a slight shrug. "Don't worry… the bullet only grazed it."

"_Heero! Come in, Heero!"_

Heero grabbed his radio. "Quatre?"

"_You must go to Saint-Michel Hospital RIGHT NOW."_

"What happened?"

"_Zechs has been shot."_

* * *

><p>[ Location: Saint-Michel Hospital, Brussels ]<p>

The first scene that Heero and Relena saw on their way to the hospital was the battered Preventers car and both Trowa and Duo being wheeled in the emergency room on gurneys.

While Heero checked on his comrades' conditions, Relena went to the nearest nurse to ask about her brother. As soon as she got the information she needed, Relena ran to the room where her brother was being treated and nearly collided with Quatre who was just exiting Zechs's room with two Preventer officers stationed outside.

"How is he?" Relena asked, out of breath.

Quatre gave her a reassuring smile. "He'll be alright, Miss Relena. Greene missed his vital organs. He'll recover soon enough."

Relena gasped. "Agent Greene did this?"

"Yes."

"What happened?"

"Holt was here and pretended to be a nurse," answered Quatre. He looked uneasy as he said the next words. "He killed Ben Anderson."

Relena closed her eyes in despair. The day's events were starting to take its toll on her emotional state. Quatre continued with the story. "Your brother was going to detain Holt but Greene shot Zechs before he could."

"Can I come in?"

"Of course. Miss Noin is in there as well."

Relena gave Quatre a hug. "Heero's with Duo and Trowa."

With a nod, Quatre left to find the other injured members of their group. Relena took a few calming breaths before she pushed open the door. Noin was standing next to a conscious Zechs. When his sister entered the room, both occupants gasped at Relena's appearance.

Noin was beside her in an instant. "Are you injured?"

Relena remembered the dried blood on her hands and clothes; she felt her heart sink. "It's not mine. It was Linda's… Mrs. Hall." Her breath hitched as the scene earlier that day replayed in her mind. "Somebody attacked us during our visit. They killed her, Noin."

"Relena," Zechs called out, "come here."

His little sister sat on the empty seat next to him and took one of his hands with hers. Relena placed her cheek on his hand to reminder herself that her brother was fine and in no danger from his gunshot wound. Noin joined them and took a seat at the foot of the bed.

Zechs squeezed Relena's hand. "We'll get them. We will."

"We will," Noin repeated, smiling at Relena. "We've been though worse. I know we can handle this."

"I know," said Relena. "We're a good team." She closed her eyes as her brother wiped away her tears. "I just hope no one else will be hurt."

* * *

><p>Nearly two hours after all the chaos, the group decided to reassemble at Trowa and Duo's recovery room. While the former Heavyarms pilot has a sprained wrist and a few cuts and bruises, their braided comrade has a couple of bruised ribs after the blast sent him tumbling on the back seat of the car.<p>

Une was wearing a sling from a dislocated left shoulder. Miraculously, Wufei and Sally only have scrapes and bruises, but the former could still hear a faint ringing sound in his ears. Heero's grazed arm was wrapped in gauze and a few, small bandages were on his cheeks for the cuts he received from the broken windows. Only Relena, Noin, and Quatre lacked any injuries.

There was a tense silence in the room until Duo spoke up, "I hate stating the obvious, but we're in deep shit right now."

Une winced, both from her injury and the truth behind Duo's words. "They were onto us."

"It's amazing how they knew where each of us would be," said Quatre. "It was all perfectly timed, especially when Greene and Holt met here at the hospital."

Trowa narrowed his eyes. "They're smarter than we give them credit for."

"So, what's our next step?" asked Sally.

Heero spoke up. "We have to continue with the investigation. I'll stay at the control room to find anything that could lead us to Greene and Holt." Relena looked at him but did not say a word.

"Wufei and I will join you, Heero," said Sally. "We will also start the investigation to the bombing at ESUN. I'm sure I'm not the only one here who thinks that the bombing is most likely connected to our case."

"But that doesn't make sense," countered Noin. "We all believe that someone at DSD was hoping that the Toxin X murders would force ESUN to expand the department's projects. Why would he or she plan this bombing if important people like West would be there?"

"That's a good point but unfortunately, we have very little to go with to have a concise answer to your question," Une answered.

"Those of us who can should go back to HQ as soon as possible." Heero's voice held an almost impatient tone; he wanted this meeting to end so some of them can get back to work. They needed to get back on track.

"Wait, some of us will have to take a day or two off… to recuperate," Quatre advised. They had been working nonstop for days and while they were considered experienced war veterans, they still needed their rest.

Heero momentarily closed his eyes and concentrated on forming a plan. He nodded in agreement at Quatre's advice. "I suggest Zechs, Duo, and Trowa be sent somewhere else as they recover; some other place where we can communicate without risk of being overheard. This hospital isn't the perfect location."

"And a better place for each of us to stay while this investigation is still ongoing," added Quatre.

Duo nodded. His friend was right; for the past few days, those who did not have permanent residence in Brussels were forced to stay in the command center where they've been conducting their investigation. "There's no way I'm going to be sleeping another night in a sleeping bag!" Duo jokingly pointed out.

"My brother and Noin can take the spare room in my place as soon as Milliardo is released from the hospital," Relena suggested.

"I also have extra rooms in my apartment for Trowa and Duo to take as soon as they're discharged," Quatre said, who owned a modest, three-bedroom condominium in Brussels. The Winner heir, who has his family's home in the L4 Colony, bought a second residence in Brussels since he frequented the place. His job as a supplier for Relena's AH Project required him to be in the Belgian capital very often.

"We'll add a Preventers squad for a security detail at your place, Quatre," mentioned Commander Une.

Quatre gave her a grateful smile but shook his head no. "There is no need for that, Miss Une. I have contacted the Maganacs last night and some of them will be arriving very soon. They will help with the security detail at my house, Miss Relena's, and here in the hospital until Trowa, Duo, and Zechs are released."

"Yeah, no offense Commander, but I think I'll feel safer with the Maganacs than some of our own people from Preventers," Duo voiced out, rubbing the back of his neck in slight embarrassment but flinched when he felt a rush of pain on his side.

"The Maganacs can also help us with the investigation, if they so wishes," added Heero, "especially since some of us will be unavailable indefinitely."

"I'll inform them," said Quatre.

"That settles it then," Une finally said. "We'll have some of the Maganacs stay here, at Quatre,'s and Relena's. We will also need a couple of them to work at control center. I'll meet with you all tomorrow at 0800 hours after the press conference with the media."

"Be on your guard," Heero said to them as he left the room before everyone else.

After exchanging a few words with Quatre and Une, Relena ran after Heero. "Wait, Heero!"

The former Wing pilot turned to face her. "Stay here with Quatre until the Maganacs arrive. They will be escorting you to your home. Wherever you go, have at least two of them with you at all costs, do you understand?"

"Yes," replied Relena. "Heero?"

"What is it?"

Relena had noticed Heero's guilty expression earlier when they were being ambushed at Linda's home. "I hope you're not blaming yourself for what happened today."

Heero looked at her, slightly surprised that she knew of his inner turmoil. One of Heero's hands balled in a fist. "One error has caused a life today, Relena. It was my responsibility to protect you and Mrs. Hall. I failed you both."

"Don't do that to yourself, Heero," she admonished, shaking her head. She placed a hand on his forearm as if to reassure him. "I know you did your best to keep us safe. But some things are just out of our control. All we can do now is to find the people who are responsible so they can be brought to justice."

They stayed in that position for a few seconds until Relena removed her hand, but the warmth of her touch and words never left Heero.

"Just be careful, okay, Heero?" Relena said softly as she moved to make her way back to her brother's hospital room, but Heero grabbed her wrist before she could go any farther.

"Heero?"

"Relena, I…"

A voice from down the hall called out their names before Heero could finish his sentence. It was Sally, who approached them with hurried steps. Behind her, they could see Quatre greet Rashid and the rest of the Maganac entourage who had just arrived outside Trowa and Duo's room.

The distressed look on her face was enough to make Heero and Relena tense. "What's wrong, Sally?" asked Relena.

"We just received a call from Preventers HQ," explained Sally. "DSD representative Dennis Webb is reported missing since this morning."

* * *

><p>AN:

- Longest chapter so far. It's probably just me… but damn, it's hard writing action scenes, especially car chase scenes.  
>- I had to make a slight change regarding when the Opening Ceremony at Mars is going to happen. Instead of in 10 days from Dec 5 (mentioned in Chapter IV, which I edited to reflect the change), I changed it to 7 days.<br>- The closing and locking of the hospital doors was from personal experience. I was with my mom visiting my sister at a small hospital when the fire alarm went off. The door to my sister's room automatically closed until a nurse opened the door when it was all clear. It was an interesting experience.  
>- Yes, that last scene with Heero and Relena is a nod to that famous scene from Gundam Wing: Blind Target. Y'all should know what I'm talking about (;<p>

Special thanks to the following people for the reviews: dootadoot, Tatiasha, Yumi90, nawty, and guests! Y'all seriously keep me going! One of my guest reviewers has mentioned some important teeny details / questions about my story… don't worry, your questions (hopefully all of them!) will be answered in the following chapters. Also, it made me feel giddy that you mentioned those because it just means that you're really paying attention to this story. I hope I won't disappoint!

Reviews would be deeply appreciated. Yours Truly, HG

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Please stay tuned for the next chapter, **Chapter VIII: On the Hunt**.

PREVIEW:

"_What's on your mind?"_

"_We overlooked something again," replied Wufei. "Holt was in the hospital and Greene was where Duo and Trowa were. Our guess is that our ESUN mole was responsible for the attack at the ESUN building. Hall is dead. Then who was responsible for the attack on Heero and Relena at Linda Hall's home?"_

"_Then that means…"_

"_We're looking at a fourth accomplice."_


End file.
